


New Game

by TrashKing (Vanya_Deyja)



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Anal Sex, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Sexual Tension, alternative ending, even some fluff, handcuff arc, idiot gremlins being immature and elaborate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:08:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28275102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanya_Deyja/pseuds/TrashKing
Summary: Light is 95% certain he is Kira and, if that's the case, he needs to reclaim his memories, his power and kill L. It's the only way to survive. But that's going to be a little complicated handcuffed to the world's greatest detective. Things get petty, then elaborate, and before long he's starting to wonder if he wants L dead half as much as he needs him dead.
Relationships: L/Yagami Light
Comments: 121
Kudos: 503





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, go easy on me! Hope you enjoy <3 All chapters are finished I just need to edit. Will probably post at least once a week, I'll try and aim for a regular day but I'm not sure what that will be yet.

_Handcuffed._

That’s how it starts.

Light is a considerable actor, he always has been, and that capacity to act in a crisis, to lie in the face of people who trust him, is something that concerns him the moment those handcuffs snap on. He says one thing, fiercely maintains he’s not Kira, but he’s not an idiot. He can put on a face and that will reassure his father, the investigation team, but…

He and L know what’s happening here.

“It’s late,” Light announces to the almost empty room.

L grunts beside him.

Light sighs.

“You might as well say what you really mean,” L replies levelly.

“I assume from those bags under your eyes you don’t sleep,” Light counters tartly. “But my ability to reason is effected by exhaustion.”

“That seems like a personal failing you should strive against,” L grunts.

Light’s eyes flash over him sharply.

“I’m joking,” L replies. “But it’s nice for you to make an expression I recognize. You’ve been playing so nice today.”

“Yeah, well…” Light sighs, sagging in the chair. “You understand already, don’t you?”

“I suspect,” L nods.

“The highest remaining probability says that I am Kira,” Light voices what they’re both thinking. Honesty isn’t something that comes easily to him but now that they’re alone it’s strategic to be straightforward.

L glances towards him but doesn’t prompt him further.

Light rarely needs encouragement once he gets going.

“Somehow I transferred the power of Kira, whatever it was,” Light continues. “We know that but presumably I can’t act right now, with us tethered like this, and the power likely elsewhere, so we need to continue to work together. Still, for the morale of the other investigators it will soothe them if I at least maintain the stance I’m innocent, however unlikely that is.”

“Do you honestly care about their morale?” L supposes.

“Do you?” Light snaps.

“They’ll be hard to work with if they’re depressed,” L answers.

“Agreed,” Light nods curtly.

“That said, do you think it matters what stance I take on the issue?” L asks.

“You’re asking me for advice?”

“I’m asking you for strategy.” L replies. “And right now, how we handle this benefits us both. Besides, Kira or not, you’re still the smartest person in the building next to me.”

It’s kind of a relief to be honest after today.

“Right,” Light agrees. “As for the team… I don’t think your stance matters. I think they would only be suspicious if you became too convinced of my innocence. But, by all means, do that. It’ll give them more sway to argue you should uncuff us.”

“And then you’d be able to act independently,” L snorts. “Which I obviously can’t allow given how dangerous you, or Kira, has proven to be.”

Light nods again.

On one level, however stupid, he feels like a kid at a sleep over.

He and L, despite their obvious differences, work on the exact same wavelength and that, being able to talk to someone who understands, is soothing. Even if that person wants to see him executed.

“I have to ask,” L hums, “because right now I’m debating two possible theories.”

“Oh?” Light invites.

“You’re different right now,” L appreciates. “So either you were controlled by the real Kira or you found some way to effectively wipe you memory of your time as Kira.”

“Well you’re clever,” Light teases, “what do you think is most likely?”

“Judging by Misa’s reaction and what I know of you, I suspect you’ve lost some chunk of your memory.” L reveals simply. “You’re not the kind of person to roll over and that would imagine there was someone smarter than you and me which I find unlikely. It seems much more likely to me you disposed of the power to shake suspicion until conditions change.”

“Yeah, that does sound like me,” Light sighs. “But you know what that means don’t you?”

“You don’t know what the power is anymore, how it works or who has it now.” L nods.

“Exactly,” Light replies. “Presumably I had some plan to reclaim it but for that to happen it’s likely both of us and our intellects are necessary. To find whatever it is, get it back from some lunatic, all without being killed? It’ll take us both.”

“There is a chance,” L hums, “that even if we find the power, I still might not have enough evidence to convict you. What you say now is one thing, but 'I might be Kira' is hardly a confession with any weight.”

“That’s true,” Light agrees. “But you’d buckle down in that eventuality because my first move, whatever happens, has to be to kill you as soon as possible.”

“So stalemate.” L snorts.

“Annoyingly.”

“Well, the good thing about life is it presents endless variables.” L smirks. “You no doubt had a brilliant plan, one I look forward to untangling, but you can’t predict everything, especially not people, so…”

“So anything could happen,” Light concludes. “And where the chips land will determine which one of us has the upper hand in the final round.”

“I shouldn’t say this,” L admits, “but isn’t this the most fun you’ve ever had?”

Light laughs, weak and dark like stale coffee. “Honestly? Yeah. The world’s so dull out there. No one keeps up. At least this way we’re having fun.”

“We might both be bad people,” L sighs.

“Very bad,” Light agrees, “but I think I’ve got a higher kill count so…”

“Maybe, but I’ve never tallied mine up.”

“Well, you can keep stewing if you like,” Light yawns, rubbing his face absently. “But now we’re on the same page I really _do_ need to sleep. So how are we going to do this?”

“I’ve got a floor, there’s a bedroom,” L shrugs. “Think you can sleep through me typing on the laptop?”

“Just don’t jerk my arm too aggressively,” Light consents lazily. “Come on then.”

* * *

L gathers up his things, untangling off the chair, and yawning into his hand Light follows him up the elevator. L’s taken the thirteenth floor which—

“Are we superstitious?” Light asks, rubbing his neck with his free hand.

“Well, I don’t like the basement from the perspective I don’t want a building collapsing on top of me. And while the top floor makes aerial escape easier it also makes infiltration easier.”

“So you’re doing this to be a nuisance?” Light concludes.

“Isn’t that why you do everything?” L smirks.

Light grins. “I’ll never tell.”

L isn’t interested in brushing his teeth or getting changed but he dutifully trails after Light as he ambles through his routine. Looks like Watari or one of the guys, maybe Souichirou, have brought his things from the house so Light can be comfortable here indefinitely. L has the laptop in one hand, scrolling, and Light finds it easy to all but ignore him.

Maybe ignore is the wrong word?

L’s presence just isn’t uncomfortable somehow.

Maybe it’s that wavelength thing again.

They’re cut from the same cloth.

“Don’t strain your eyes,” Light orders, collapsing into the bed as L climbs in after him. He turns off the lighting in the suite, leaving nothing but the glow of the laptop screen, and rolls onto his other side as best as the tether between them will allow.

It’s true that Light will kill L if presented with the opportunity. Who wouldn’t? Survival instinct is a powerful force and Light wants to live. L threatens that and if he has proof of what they both suspect then Light will absolutely be put to death.

What if they’re wrong…?

Light can’t imagine that. Two people, as smart as them, both coming to the same conclusion and being wrong? No, it’s not possible. That said, if it was, what kind of life could Light have? Would he and L work together to solve more impossible cases? It doesn’t sound safe or responsible but it definitely sounds exciting. L seems more concerned with entertainment than justice, but Light could probably direct him towards cases Light morally agreed with. That…

That might be nice.

In another life, in another world.

Light rolls over in the middle of the night and stirs just so.

Just long enough to realize L isn’t typing anymore.

Eyes flickering open groggily Light takes in the dark room and the city scape beyond the uncovered windows.

L might be an insomniac, but he _is_ human and all humans needs to sleep eventually.

Light appreciates his features in the darkness and the nasally quality of his snoring. The laptop has cycled to sleep or maybe the battery ran out. Either way the screen is dull and the whole thing is limp at a funny angle in L’s slumped limbs.

Moving very, very, delicately Light shifts up onto his elbows.

He doesn’t suspect it’ll take much to stir L and he doubts there’s anything on the computer he can’t see so there’s no point snooping. So….

Light tries a trick his mother used to use, mainly on Sayu, when they were children. Leaning over L the older man starts to grumble and—

Light strokes, slow and patient, down the bridge of his nose.

Once, twice, thrice….

Coaxing, slow, until L eases again.

Then picking up the computer Light folds It shut between them on the sheets. Back to the bridge of L’s nose, once, twice, thrice…

And then Light careful lays back down and closes his eyes.

L keeps snoring.

On some level he is just a man, isn’t he?

Can Light use that to his advantage?

Something to think on.

For now? Sleep.

* * *

“Misa,” L posits the following night. “Do you like her?”

“No,” Light answers from his screen. “Why?”

“Could you pretend to return her feelings?”

“No,” Light replies.

“Too much of a gentleman for that?” L tuts.

“No,” Light smirks.

“Then why not?” L presses. “It’ll help the case.”

“It’ll help _you_ , not _me_.” Light counters.

“Misa could tell us something useful.” L argues.

“Misa had her memory wiped also,” Light replies, “and while she was likely useful to me as a pawn at some point she no longer has that power. The only benefit of getting her on side is giving you more information to use against _me_.”

L sighs heavily. “Sometimes you’re frustrating.”

“Let’s focus on catching the current Kira, alright?”

“I also need to build a case against you, you know; so you don’t kill me first.” L tuts, scooping up a strawberry from his swimming pool of cream.

“That’s your problem,” Light counters.

L huffs stubbornly.

“Don’t look so glum,” Light twists his screen L’s way, “look at this and be useful instead.”

“Sometimes I think you’re only my friend because of my stunning deductive reasoning.” L rolls his chair over.

“Oh yeah, it’s all about that juicy brain,” Light snorts. “Here.”

“Heart attacks,” L supposes.

“Some of them,” Light corrects, “but not all of them.”

“Kira seems to only be able to kill with heart attacks.” L counters.

“I suspect he can do more,” Light argues.

“Interesting,” L digests, “why?”

“These men aren’t criminals.” Light counters. “The last Kira was idealistic, an arbiter. But we both know it’s likely the powers found its way to an adult and what do adults care about?”

“ _Money._ ” L murmurs sharply. “So then—”

“Thirteen deaths in the business world across the last three months.” Light scrolls. “Not all of them heart attacks but—” 

“Who does it--?” L leans forward, grabbing the mouse to click through his data.

“Yotsuba Group.” Light supplies readily.

“How’d you put all this together?” L glances, curious.

“A little instinct, a hunch or two, a lot of research and exploiting Matsuda.” Light shrugs.

“Well, to be fair, I wasn’t using him for anything useful.” L agrees.

“It’s what he’s good for,” Light snorts.

L chuckles, grin wicked.

“So what to do next….?” L taps his chin. “Yotsuba is a large group. We need to narrow down the pool of suspects.”

“Well,” Light switches off the screen, “why don’t we brainstorm in the comfort of a warm bed?”

“Maybe you don’t just want me for my juicy brain,” L deadpans.

“You sleep, I’ve seen it.” Light counters, batting away L’s fingers as he tries to turn the screen back on. 

L sighs, unconvinced.

“Shower first,” he negotiates. “I think well in the shower.”

“Now who’s trying to seduce who?” Light teases.

L just shrugs, impersonating an innocent goblin.

They wait until they’re on the thirteenth floor to truly unravel the topics for discussion. L uncuffs them, very briefly, to get their clothes off properly and Light checks the temperature in the shower while L cuffs their opposing wrists back together.

“The NPA.” Light starts. “We should—”

“They don’t matter,” L dismisses. “We don’t need them to continue operating.”

“I’m aware of that,” Light acknowledges, “if anything this gives us more freedom to act without oversight but do we need the other detectives in this scenario?”

“They’re useful,” L counters, “besides; they’ll make great witnesses if you kill me.”

“That’s rude.” Light huffs lamely, letting L pull him under the water.

“You don’t have to budge on Misa to help me and I don’t have to budge on the detectives to help you.” L shrugs. “Consider it a level playing field.”

Light sighs heavily. “Alright, fine.”

“You sound so disappointed.”

“Well this is life or death for me.”

“And it’s not for me?” L snorts.

“Your life is less important to me than my own.”

“Fair,” L consents.

“Back to business.” Light grunts dunking his head under the water. “Yotsuba Group.”

L hums, shaking his slick hair and sending water everywhere. L is an attractive man in some ways, Light would argue he’s more conventionally handsome, but he sees the appeal of L’s intensity and—

“You’re well maintained, despite all those sweets,” Light prods his tight navel lazily.

L snorts. “Your pants really don’t do your ass justice.”

“Rude,” Light cackles.

This shouldn’t be so easy.

Honestly, Light doubts he would feel awkward with most men in a situation like this but some people would certainly irritate or disgust him. L is easy, comfortable. He’s not the kind to feel embarrassed about his body but there is a certain level of intimacy inherent in this kind of ease he’s experiencing.

It’s strange.

“We’ll need to get intel on all the Yotsuba staff, home and abroad,” L starts to calculate handing Light the shampoo. “But that’s a very large pool. We need more information to narrow it down.”

“Well, consider,” Light begins, “how did I pass on the power of Kira?”

“Right…” L murmurs. “So perhaps the current Kira was someone within Japan during the period before and during your imprisonment?”

“Seems likely they’d need to be within my reach,” Light nods, “that said if it’s something you can pass through an email—”

“I doubt that,” L grunts.

“Me too, but it would be interesting,” Light shrugs. “So a Yotstuba staff member, within Japan, and how would I select my replacement?”

“Someone vile enough to use the power,” L theorises, “but also stupid enough that you could outwit them and reclaim the power with your memory erased. Someone who won’t add much complication with their own thoughts, predictable.”

“Well so far that holds true,” Light rinses his hair absently. “They’re a simple minded adult focused on money and afraid of enraging the real Kira. They likely don’t appreciate the full extent of the power.”

“Or they’re a coward,” L counters.

“Most people are,” Light pushes his wet hair back, mindful of the tether between them.

“Were you a brave child?” L asks suddenly.

“What kind of question is that?” Light scoffs.

“A personal one,” L shrugs, scratching his armpit indelicately. “If we’re stuck like this for months we can’t talk business _all_ the time.”

“We’ll work quicker than that.” Light maintains.

“Is that how you’re going to dodge the question?” L smirks.

“I— ugh.” Light huffs. “I was a stubborn child. I didn’t like being told what to do and I took matters into my own hands.”

“I was always getting into trouble,” L murmurs. “I’d come up with an idea and drag everyone into it. Wilful, argumentative. Other choice words.”

“We would’ve gotten along then.” Light hums, wondering—

“I don’t think you can kill me with that,” L states suddenly. “You need a name, not a backstory, right?”

“Yeah, exactly,” Light slackens, amused despite himself.

He knows he’s playing this game to win, of course, but sometimes even he needs to switch off for a few hours and play dumb. Talking about things unrelated to the case, not talking at all, that sounds tempting when he’s tired.

“I’ll start gathering the baseline data on the Yotsuba employees while you sleep,” L declares as they climb out of the shower and pat down on the tiles.

“Why don’t you sleep?” Light counters.

“I don’t sleep.” L grunts.

“I bet I can make you sleep.” Light smirks.

“I don’t think your wicked, borderline supernatural, powers extend that far.” L maintains.

“What if they do?”

“Then we might need to try you for witchcraft as well as murder,” L jokes levelly.

“Well let’s collect some evidence,” Light tempts, yanking L by the tether.

L stumbles but catches himself quickly and jerks back. “You’re not supposed to do that. This is my tether. I am restraining _you_.”

“Less talk more sleep.” Light yanks again, unapologetic.

L considers the tether and Light has the cord between his fingers, threatening to yank again. L weighs the options and—

“I’m not afraid to pull you right off your feet.” L warns.

Light escalates.

Light always escalates.

 _Yank_.

L doesn’t even budge but—

Light makes a totally indelicate, unattractive, sound as L ducks down and manhandles him over one shoulder. Lift- _oomph_ \- Light is being carried.

“Put me—!”

“You started it.” L counters heedlessly.

Light considers punching him along the spine but he’s all flipped around and that seems like a sure-fire way to crash onto the tiles.

L dumps him on the bed and as the blood rushes back down from his brain to his extremities Light takes a deep, frustrated, breath.

Alright, so he’s stronger than he looks.

“You’re sleeping.” Light declares.

“I’d like to see you pull that off.” L snorts, tossing Light his boxers to sleep in.

L tethers his cuff to the bedframe while he pulls his shirt on.

“You know,” Light argues, “we could just keep it like that while we sleep?”

“You can saw the bedframe into pieces. I don’t trust it to restrain you in the middle of the night.” L maintains. “I trust you won’t sneak off if you’re cuffed to me though.”

“Maybe you’re just clingy?” Light scoffs.

“Oh, total cuddle slut.” L deadpans, refusing to back down.

They are a little childish, aren’t they?

Ugh, regardless—

“Get in the bed.” Light tuts.

“I need my laptop.”

“Give me one chance to put you to sleep,” Light reasons. “If it doesn’t work you can use your phone. Thing’s practically its own think tank.”

L hesitates but, sighing, leaves his phone on the bedside table and puts the cuff back on his wrist as he climbs into the bed. Light, smirking to himself, twists to the other side to turn off the lights in the suite with the control panel.

“Alright come here,” Light orders, arranging himself just so.

“That’s not fair.” L grumbles.

“I never said it was fair, I said it would work,” Light grunts. “Get down here.”

L mumbles something, maybe a cuss? It passes under his breath and slumping down the AHDH gremlin slumps on Light. Light arranges his head on his clavicle, untethered arm around his broader shoulders, and drawing up his tethered hand—

“Oh that’s not fair,” L repeats in a hiss.

“Shut up.” Light hushes, half mocking half genuinely amused, and runs his finger down the bridge of L’s nose. Once, twice, thrice…

“You will be burnt at the stake,” L murmurs, voice already softer.

“ _Shhh_ ,” Light whispers.

Once, twice, thrice…

Nice and slow.

“Don’t sound so smug,” L mumbles.

Light doesn’t reply.

Once, twice, thrice…


	2. Chapter 2

The frustrating thing about research, about puzzles, about chasing and hunting is that they all take time. Even with the team rifling through Yotsuba employee records it’s going to take them a while to organize the information for their next move. This Kira isn’t just going to sit still either. He’s going to be making moves of his own and with the situation changing every second wasted gets in the way of capturing their newest enemy.

Souichirou isn’t a very emotional man. At least not on an interpersonal level. He’s passionate about his job, about justice, but while he clearly loves his family he’s awkward at showing it. So it’s almost painful when Souichirou plants his hand on Light’s shoulder and, hunching, checks;

“Are you doing alright, son?”

“I’m fine Dad,” Light dismisses.

Light honestly doesn’t expect much filial intimacy from his father these days. He certainly doesn’t look for it. After all Souichirou’s picture of who he is and who he actually is are two very different things and while soothing him is beneficial for Light it’s also something of a chore.

“I know you’d rather be at college right now.” Souichirou murmurs, almost apologetic.

“The Kira case is way more important than college.” Light maintains flippantly.

Does Souichirou think his involvement in the case has pinned this fate on Light unfairly?

 _Don’t flatter yourself old man_.

Maybe that’s harsh. Light does think kindly of his father but the man’s naïve and powerless. They are creatures with very different impulses and Souichirou hasn’t been able to keep up with Light for a decade now

“Still…” Souichirou glances gently to L. “I know you’re a reserved person and being handcuffed to someone a little eccentric twenty-four-seven…”

“L’s easy.” Light assures, snatching the spoon out of L’s fingers and scooping up a mouthful of ice cream.

L pivots sharply.

He blinks, almost reptilian, at Light and Light licks the spoon before dumping it back in L’s fingers.

They’ve got each other figured out.

“You two are…” Souichirou stands back, rubbing his neck as he glances between them. “I didn’t imagine you’d get along so well, obviously I don’t understand either of you as well as I should.”

“Light is certainly peculiar,” L grunts, eating a mouthful of ice cream and offering the spoon to Light again.

Light considers it.

Light takes it.

“We should get chocolate.” Light grunts.

“Pistachio is better.” L argues.

“You’re wrong.” Light deadpans, completely upfront.

L hates hearing that, let alone so bluntly, and Light smirks as the world’s greatest detective visibly debates kicking him in the face with witnesses present.

Souichirou sighs.

“We should get back to the data,” the Chief supposes.

“Right,” Light returns the spoon to L. “We need to find the clues hidden in all this data both for the killings and the Yotsuba employees.”

“It’s crazy to think Kira might be able to kill in ways other than a heart attack,” Matsuda weighs in.

“He can kill hundreds of people across the world, simultaneously.” Light snorts. “Honestly it would be weirder if he didn’t have more weapons in that arsenal.”

“Well, the alternative killing methods certainly isn’t the strangest thing about this case,” L confers, scratching his chin. “On some level it seems almost supernatural.”

“You mean that joke about Shinigami?” Light recalls. “That would be ludicrous.”

“Not any more so than anything else in this case,” L shrugs. “Maybe I should research the occult?”

Light considers that.

How did he do it? An eighteen year old boy slaughtering criminals across the planet with induced heart attacks?

That does sound almost supernatural, doesn’t it?

“Maybe.” He concedes. 

“But I thought you believed Kira is a person, Ryuzaki,” Matsuda frowns.

“I do.” L replies. “Kira has to know someone’s face and their name. He is _not_ a god. But his method of killing might be unlike anything we’ve experienced before. Supernatural phenomenon are just bundles of data we don’t fully understand. Science has a lot of gaps. That doesn’t prove God just because there’s a new gap.”

“And here I thought you were getting depressed,” Light grins.

“I refuse to lose,” L lifts his chin. “I don’t think I’m heading in the wrong direction and, even if I am, false starts don’t matter so long as you solve the puzzle.”

“So then…” Souichirou hesitates. “You don’t think Light and Misa were the first and second Kiras anymore?”

“I never said that.” L grunts. “It would be more accurate to say I am fairly certain they were the first and second Kiras but they aren’t this current Kira.”

Souichirou and Matsuda sag, disappointed.

“I’m not Kira,” Light sighs, only half bothering to argue.

They both know he’s Kira.

They’re just pretending for the man babies.

* * *

Light is always surprised by how quickly everyone else taps out. Misa is cuddled up in her suite with her panda face mask when he checks the cameras, his father, Matsuda and Mogi are all gone or asleep or else not here.

It’s just him and L.

Again.

It’s honestly the most productive part of the evening.

“We should play truth or dare,” L announces suddenly.

“What?” Light scoffs. “Are you twelve?”

“We’re friends, aren’t we?” L challenges.

“Not exactly.” Light counters, raising his handcuffed wrist demonstratively.

“Ignoring that—”

“I’m not ignoring that,” Light huffs. “How do I know you won’t use this to dig for evidence against me?”

“If you don’t remember anything about the power of Kira how could I do that?”

Oh, maybe the bus jacking with Raye Penber?

Or meeting Naomi Misora before she disappeared? 

Light keeps his mouth shut.

“Fine,” Light decides. “But you have to play too.”

“It’s not really a game unless we both play.”

“This will be quite a story for court,” Light snorts. “How did you know the accused was Kira? Well, I got him to play truth or dare, your Honour, and—”

“I don’t appreciate you making my voice sound that silly.” L frowns petulantly.

“I’m going first,” Light demands. “Truth or dare?”

“Hmm,” L considers it. “Truth.”

“What’s your real name?” Light drawls, smirk wicked.

“Dare.” L counters.

Light groans. “If you’re not going to answer the questions why should I?”

L seems to consider that.

“My real name does start with L.” He answers suddenly.

Light sits up straighter. “Are you serious?”

“Well, I didn’t pick the letter at random,” L snorts.

“But then—”

“My turn,” L counters. “Truth or dare?”

Light hesitates.

He could get some useful information here, if he’s clever.

That said L could also gather substantial evidence against him if he asks the right questions. So then what’s the best--?

Wait, L wants data, right?

He’ll only accept dares then.

Simple.

“Dare,” he answers.

L seems unbothered. “I dare you to hack into the Yotsuba system.”

“I—” Light wavers. “Why do you have to dare me to do that?”

“Are you saying you can’t?” L supposes levelly. “That’d be a forfeit to truth, wouldn’t it?”

Ugh, Light hisses.

If he can hack Yotsuba he can definitely infiltrate the police database and his father’s computer to search for criminals. But he backs down L can answer a more probing question, something direct.

Light pulls the laptop towards him and, connecting to the main screen in HQ, starts bringing up the Yotsuba company page.

Light brings up the login page, takes a few moments to write a fairly familiar code, and pressing start lets it run.

“It’ll be a couple of minutes.” Light glances back.

“I’ve got time,” L smirks.

Light glares.

“That didn’t take you long,” L supposes conversationally.

“Stop gloating, truth or dare?” Light snaps.

“Dare.” L answers, probably just be difficult.

Damn it, how can Light make that useful?

He’s got two options; think of a useful dare or back L into a concern where he has to accept truth.

He rubs his chin for a moment, code running in the background, crashing through Yotsuba’s defences and wriggling into their system while they play this stupid game.

“I dare you to sit like a human being.” Light counters.

L wavers.

What did he say last time? His reasoning decreases by 40% when he sits like a pleb?

“Truth.” L sighs.

“I don’t suppose you have enough evidence to convict me of anything, but do you have anything substantial enough to mount a trial?”

“No,” L sighs irritably.

The computer pings, Yotsuba cracked open.

They glance.

“We might as well copy all their data while we’re here,” L shrugs.

“Are you daring me to do it?” Light counters.

“Are you asking for a dare?”

“Yes,” Light answers.

“No,” L answers, grabbing the laptop and starting to copy the files himself. “I dare you to call Misa and tell her you love her.”

“That’s obscene,” Light groans.

“Then truth?” L glances, files downloading.

Light grumbles and whips out his cell phone.

He sighs, waiting, flicking over the camera to Misa’s suite on the main hub. Misa rolls over, pulling off her panda eye-mask and pressing the phone to her ear murmurs groggily;

“Light? It’s super late, what’s up?”

“Hey Misa,” Light answers twisting to maintain level eye contact with L, “I’m sorry for waking you up. I just wanted to say something. Can you keep a secret?”

“A secret?” Misa props up on her elbow. “Absolutely!”

“It feels weird to say this in front of the investigation team and I know we don’t get much privacy at the moment, but I wanted you to know I love you.”

Misa rolls onto her back, hand over her mouth, legs kicking up under the blanket in an excitable rush.

“That’s so sweet Light!” She flusters. “I love you too! So much!”

“Sorry I’ve thrown your life into chaos, Misa,” Light murmurs. “You get back to sleep, okay?”

“Love you Light! Night!” Misa croons, delighted.

Light clicks off the phone, switches off the camera, and glances lazily back to L.

L blinks. “You know, I’m not sure how to feel about your ability to lie that easily.”

“Everyone lies.”

“Yes, but you lie a lot for a high school graduate, and you make that sound so convincing to her while you’re sitting here inspecting your nails.”

“You don’t lie?” Light glares.

“I lie plenty,” L shrugs, “but I’m not a convincing actor when it comes to counterfeit emotions. Makes me wonder if anyone actually knows you or if you’re lying to everyone? Isn’t that lonely?”

“I let you see all that, didn’t I?” Light counters.

L frowns clearly perplexed for a moment.

Good, let him be confused. 

“We must be friends then,” L scratches his lip with his thumb, “if you’re letting me see all these ugly sides of you.”

“Ugly?” Light scoffs.

“I’m certainly an ugly human,” L continues unhindered. “I do awful things. For me its all about the puzzles, the games, I don’t really mind much about the human element. I could solve a lot of simpler cases and help more people but I don’t because the puzzles don’t interest me.”

“Doesn’t that make me better than you?” Light supposes.

“In what way?”

“Well,” Light shrugs, “if I was the ultimate Kira I was acting out of a sense of altruism. I could’ve made myself rich with this power but I was using it to improve the world, in my own way, with the options available to me.”

“Maybe you are a better person then, by that measure.” L concedes. “But by the rules of the game you’re still a criminal.”

“So you have to punish me?”

“Not exactly,” L shrugs. “I don’t know if I want to punish you. But I want to solve the Kira case. I want to win.” 

Light digests that for a moment.

“Who’s turn was it?” L blinks.

“Mine, truth or dare?” Light snaps in immediately, ruthless.

“Hmm,” L thinks, “truth.”

Light hesitates for a split second. Should he play nice? There’s an opportunity here but L might become suspicious if he backs off the scent he’s been pursuing so viciously.

“Would I be able to find Watari’s real name and, in doing so, find more information about you?”

“Yes,” L hums. “It’s possible. Finding Watari would be simpler than finding me and if you found Watari you’d easily have more information on me if not the specifics of my name.”

Light tucks that away.

“Truth or dare?” L asks.

“Dare,” Light answers instinctively.

L takes a deep breath, thinking hard.

“I dare you to…” he taps his chin.

“You can always forfeit the round.” Light assures snidely.

“I dare you to kiss me.” L announces.

Light chokes but it tumbles into a laugh.

“What will _that_ tell you?” He supposes.

“Well, I assume you’d rather not debase yourself, so you must have something worth hiding. Some information I could use against you to build a more substantial case.”

Light dithers.

That’s a good point.

If he does kiss L then he proves there’s something to find but not what it is specifically. That in itself isn’t much a of clue. If he doesn’t kiss L and he submits to the question he’s got to take a gamble about what L might ask. If he avoids the question after its asked that’s practically a confirmation of whatever L is asking which _does_ tell him where to start searching for evidence.

He’s going to have to kiss the goblin.

“You think kissing you is debasing myself?” Light supposes lazily.

“I’ve seen me,” L shrugs. “I wouldn’t kiss me.”

Light snorts. “Well, unfortunately for you—”

L stiffens as Light grabs him by the collar and jerks his roller chair closer.

“Last chance.” Light warns.

L considers that.

But—

What’s the fucking gremlin smirking about?

“Bring it on.” L replies levelly.

Light glares but he has no intention of backing down now.

Light hauls L the last of the way, closing the gap, but L doesn’t kiss like a high school girl. No flounce just pure, firm, certainty pushing back readily. No give, all muscle. It’s confusing and the signals scramble in Light’s brain but he doesn’t have to understand it.

It occurs to Light he’s never kissed someone he finds genuinely attractive. Not to say he likes L but on a scale from most to least attractive L ranks high with IQ points alone. What’s the obnoxious term? Sapiosexual?

Light realizes his whole body is leaning into the kiss, mouths working against each other under the thrum of the computers and—

How long have they--?

Light jerks back.

L blinks at the sudden motion.

Light smirks or tries to anyway.

L snorts; “I feel so sorry for Misa.”

“ _What does that mean?_ ” Light snaps.

“You kiss like a high schooler alright,” L smirks, “but with all the white hot desperation of a dying man. That’s a lot for a young lady to deal with.”

Light’s not sure if that’s a compliment or not, either way he’s unimpressed.

“Well you smell like you live in that shirt.” Light grumbles.

“Maybe we should leave it there for tonight?” L grins. “I think I’ve got a lot of data.”

“I want one more,” Light argues.

“Okay, truth.” L concedes readily.

“Where were you born?” Light demands.

“Richmond upon Thames, in London,” L supplies.

Light tucks that away.

He’ll get this bastard, one way or another.

“That was fun,” L grins. “I like having friends.”

Light—

He looks so disgustingly sincere.

Light laughs, moment of intense rage broken along the spine. “You’re insufferable.”

“But you had fun,” L supplies, grin knowing.

“That’s not the point!” Light laughs, exasperated.

Fuck this guy, yes, but on some level Light wishes they could chase each other forever.


	3. Chapter 3

Light’s glare is scathing.

“They’re what?” He hisses.

“Wedy and Aiber,” L gestures demonstratively over the westerners. “They’re career criminals. I hire them for things like this.”

What’s a nice way to call L a hypocrite with the detectives present?

No, fuck that.

“You’re despicable.” Light snaps.

“I don’t like this much either,” Souichirou speaks up warily.

“Bigger fish to fry gentlemen,” L argues stubbornly. “We need people like this if we’re going to catch Kira without the assistance of the NPA.”

“I’m going to need you all to turn around for a moment while I punch him.” Light folds his arms across his chest. He could be joking, maybe, but its very evident he’s not.

“Friend,” Aiber speaks up, “just for the record; while I don’t think Ryuzaki needs any help putting you down, he does pay my wage in this arrangement so if he asks me to get involved I will hold you down for him.”

“Duly noted.” Light grunts. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

“Am I or am I not the head of this investigation?” L sighs.

“You’re about to be a funny looking troll with a busted lip.” Light warns.

“Where did you find this one?” Wedy grins. “I like him. He’s spicy.”

“Current prime suspect in the Kira case,” L declares levelly.

“Makes sense,” Aiber snorts, hands slipping into his pockets.

“You think I’m a criminal,” Light continues, “and you work with criminals? How is that fair?”

“It’s a matter of scale.” L replies.

“Explain.” Light orders.

“Theft,” L holds up one hand, “ _murder_ ,” he holds his second hand much higher.

Light huffs. He’s got more choice words, but he can’t spew them in front of the investigators without implicating himself and Souichirou will become distraught if he realizes the truth. They need him working to find the power of Kira.

“Listen,” Matsuda starts, “I know—”

“ _Shut up Matsuda_ ,” L and Light reply curtly.

Matsuda throws his hands up in surrender.

“I don’t approve of this,” Mogi sighs, “but Ryuzaki is right; we’re going to need all the help we can get to investigate Yotsuba right now.”

“Thank you, Mogi.” L huffs.

“You’re off the Christmas list, Mogi,” Light grunts lamely.

“Am I--?” Matsuda raises his hand.

Light glares.

Matsuda lowers his hand.

“Once we narrow down the list of suspects Wedy and Aiber can help us gather more evidence.” L explains. “Wedy is a thief, as I’ve said, and Aiber is quite a charming con-man. Underworld professionals. Not the kind of people easily found by Kira but skilled and efficient.”

“And likely to turn on us.” Light smirks tartly.

“I know Ryuzaki well enough not to bet against him.” Aiber assures.

“Kira will just kill you,” Wedy nods, “Ryzuaki will make you suffer.”

“Fine, fine,” Light sighs. “Let’s get back to work then. We need to find these professionals someone to focus their attentions on.”

* * *

While they’re digging through the employee data and the Yostuba system data the investigators from the NPA seem to make the connection but everyone save Souichirou is hesitant to ask the most poignant question;

“Who did you pay to break into the Yotsuba database, Ryuzaki?”

Light pauses, fingers stilling, but doesn’t look up.

What will L say?

“Turns out Light is quite an adept hacker.” L answers without hesitation, stacking sugar cubes on the desk before him.

Souichirou hesitates, tangibly uncomfortable.

“I didn’t know that…” he ruminates.

“Hmm,” Light murmurs, not really soothing his nerves.

What is he supposed to say? There’s no way to make that sound good.

It makes sense to throw him under the bus. L needs witnesses to tighten around Light if Light does succeed in killing him first. To that effect it doesn’t make sense not to open up evidence towards Light to as many on case investigators as possible.

Light’s not sure why, it’s ridiculous, but some part of him half expected L to lie.

Why is that…?

“Light, have you ever—?” Souichirou starts the obvious line of questioning that ends with ‘ _did you hack my computer at home?_ ’

He doesn’t want a real answer.

He wants reassurance.

“We should focus on catching the current Kira,” L announces suddenly. “It’s all that matters right now.”

Light lifts his head, surprised, and glances to L.

L doesn’t return his gaze.

“Ryuzaki.” The computer chimes.

“Yes Watari?” L continues to stack sugar cubes.

“Eraldo Coil has just been hired to uncover L’s identity. They went through agents but we’ve traced the request back to a VP at Yotsuba.”

“Great work Watari,” L replies.

“They’re definitely up to something then,” Mogi decides.

“Could be a problem for us though,” Souichirou rues. “Eraldo Coil is said to be one of the top three detectives on the planet, after L. He’s supposedly very skilled at finding people. If he’s interfering with our case--”

“It won’t be an issue.” L assures. “The top three detectives in the world; L, Eraldo Coil and Deneuve are all me.”

“What?” Souichirou fumbles forward, gripping the back of L’s chair.

“Don’t tell anyone though,” L grunts lazily.

Light laughs into his hand. Of course he’s all three, why wasn’t that obvious already?

“Watari is the liaison for all three so if anyone bothered to look into it in detail it would be obvious,” L continues. “Watari, who was the VP involved?”

“Masahiko Kida.” Watari supplies readily. “He’s offering over a million dollars upon completion.”

“Well we’re taking his money, obviously.” L declares.

Souichirou opens his mouth but—

“Well technically we did find L already,” Light sniggers.

“So then Kida is Kira?” Souichirou composes himself.

“It would be risky to assume that,” Light shakes his head. “Kira is unlikely to approach us outright and he doesn’t need massive amounts of money to move massive amounts of money. He could just threaten Yotsuba staff like they threatened the Japanese government to shut down the NPA investigation.”

“Hmm, right…” Souichirou hums.

“We’ll contact Wedy and Aiber to plant spy tech and get closer to Masahiko Kida.” L decides. “Aiber can probably pretend to be Coil for a time. That way we can get more information and cheat them out of some more dirty money.”

“Not very altruistic of you,” Light snorts. “But I agree.”

“The important part is not to make any sudden moves,” L nods. “There is a small chance Kira’s power can be transferred and also a chance more than one person at Yotsuba possesses it. We need to close the net before they realize they’re being watched or Kira will escape.”

Light glances around the HQ lazily, something deep stirring in his gut.

“Where’s Matsuda today?”

“He’s filling in as Misa’s manager at some movie shoot.” Souichirou shrugs. “Why?”

“Just…” Light frowns. “Just a feeling, I guess…”

* * *

And so began the longest night of Light’s life.

Wherein, for the first but probably not the last time, they faked Matsuda’s death.

There’s a discussion to be had, most of it directed towards Matsuda, but for now they need to tighten up for the night. They’ll face the data tomorrow. They’re too exhausted from an emergency operation to dive into details now. Even L seems unnaturally tired.

“At least we know who to focus on now,” Light yawns into his knuckles.

L grunts.

Light glances. “You alright?”

L grunts again.

The elevator pings open on the thirteenth floor and ambling into their suite Light tugs L towards the bathroom by the tether.

“Just let me brush my mouth out and then—”

L tugs him hard from the opposing end of the tether.

“No,” he grunts. “Sleep.”

Light pauses.

“You’re about to collapse, aren’t you?” Light realizes.

“I expended a great deal of mental energy at short notice tonight,” L grumbles. “I’m tired for once in my life so if you can stand not to bicker with me for three seconds—”

“Okay, okay,” Light relents, hands up. “Relax sour-patch, we can sleep.”

L doesn’t even bother getting undressed and with them cuffed together Light doesn’t have many options himself. He’d argue but there doesn’t seem to be any point. Switching off the suite fixtures from the control panel by the bed Light tumbles onto the mattress after L. The world’s greatest detective is slumped on his side, grumbling nasally, and climbing in after him Light prepares to drift off.

He gets maybe an hour, not very long, before he’s awoken by a steady tapping on the tip of his nose.

“What?” Light grumbles, pulling the pillow over his head. It must be four am.

“I can’t sleep.” L whispers.

“You’re exhausted.”

“I know,” L admits, “but my brain refuses to shut off on command. This is an ongoing issue.”

“Why are you waking me up then?” Light groans. “I’m not getting up.”

“Can you do that thing again?”

“Huh?” Light peeks out from under the pillow.

“The thing you do,” L pleads tiredly. “It helps.”

Light sighs heavily and rearranges himself on the bed or at least he tries to. L grabs him and tugs and without bothering to argue Light finds L’s arm pillowing his head as they shift face to face on the sheets.

“You really need to learn some breathing exercises,” Light teases.

“Tried that.”

“Meditation?”

“That’s just breathing exercises with more steps.”

“Medication?”

“I don’t need medication.”

“You need _something_ ,” Light argues, stroking his fingers down the bridge of L’s nose and pushing his hair back from around his face. 

“This seems to work frighteningly well,” L mumbles, already sounding groggier.

“I wonder why that is?” Light hums, mostly to himself.

“You’re my favourite garbage person.” L slurs.

“What does _that_ mean?” Light scoffs, offended.

“You’re definitely Kira,” L continues to try and explain, “but you’re— _hmm_ —my friend.” 

“And you’re my friend,” Light promises, “my irritating gremlin friend.”

“ _Hng_ —” L seems to be trying to say something, but it comes out as a snore.

Light snorts and continues to stroke his features. The bridge of his nose, his temples, his cheekbones…

He swallows.

He doesn’t remember the details but he’s 95% sure he’s Kira. That doesn’t mean he hates L just that he wants to survive. None of his reasoning for the mass murder matters right now; the deed is done. He can’t take that back and it’s not like L would just let him off the hook. Right…?

L works with criminals.

L doesn’t care about justice so much as winning.

They work well together, they _understand_ each other.

Light has too much data.

He needs to kill L to survive, that’s just a fact. Could he change the game this late? Is it even possible? How would he even talk them off the ledge? Maybe he could exonerate himself and just not continue being Kira? No, the cat’s out of the bag now. That power exists, whatever it is, and unless he wields it someone else inevitably will and they’ll likely be less frugal than he was.

Could Light make some kind of compromise with L?

Is it worth it?

It doesn’t matter if L lives. As much as Light enjoys his company that’s irrelevant. People die every day and L doesn’t get priority just because he’s entertaining.

Light freezes, in the darkness of the bedroom, in the middle of the night.

Is this…?

Is this what caring about another person feels like? Is this a genuine compassion?

Light has always had people around him but he’s never much cared about their happiness in a genuine capacity. He cares about them getting what they want so long as it services his goals. He cares about people as tools. That goes for his school friends, his parents, his sister, the girls he’s dated…

He’s never really thought of someone as inherently valuable.

People serve purposes. Some people are good and some people are bad and the bad people should be removed so the good people can create a more comfortable world for Light to live in but that’s not the same as caring. That’s very removed. That’s big picture. That’s focusing on the system, the society, and that view doesn’t see any individual as special. People, to Light, are only useful in an ant colony kind of sense. Not for what they, specifically, contribute as unique people.

Would Light, for completely impractical, selfish, reasons, be upset if L wasn’t in his place anymore? Would he miss _this?_

Does it matter…?

L stands to destroy him, and L’s life can’t be worth more than his own.


	4. Chapter 4

“Eight Yotsuba VPs.” Light scans the screen, arms folded lazily. “And it’s safe to assume either one of them is Kira or directly connected to the current Kira.”

“Likewise, they seem to have the restrictions of the first Kira,” L nods.

“Restrictions?” Matsuda blinks.

“They need a face _and_ a name,” L supplies.

“Right, otherwise Matsuda would already be dead.” Light snorts.

“Huh?” Matsuda pales.

“Keep up Matsuda,” Light teases.

“They have these meetings Friday nights and then the killings occur across the weekend.” L ruminates. “How sloppy and childish.”

“Sloppy?” Souichirou supposes. “You really think so?”

“The original Kira seemed to be able to schedule out deaths.” L explains. “When we began to note a pattern to the time of death he proved to us he could kill at any time he wanted. If this Kira has the same power, he’s either restricted in some new way or—”

“Or he’s not clever enough to figure out he can do that and avert suspicion.” Light concludes with a sneer. 

“We’re certainly dealing with a substitute a step below,” L nods, uncapping the canister of whipped cream to assault an unsuspecting cupcake.

“Then this should be a cake walk,” Light assures them.

“I wouldn’t get too cocky,” Souichirou grunts. “This is still a killer with incredible abilities and we need to capture him with solid evidence.”

“Wedy will find a way to infiltrate their security,” L starts detailing their plan. “Once that’s done we can bug the meeting room and get more data. Aiber is working to approach the eight in whatever way he can. He’ll probably—”

“Ryuzaki.” Watari chimes. “Call from Aiber.”

“Just on cue.” Light snorts.

“Put him through,” L directs.

“Ryzuaki,” Aiber’s accented voice rumbles across the connection. “I’ve gotten in touch with the eight indirectly. They’re still convinced I’m Coil searching for you. At the rate things are progressing they’ll be interested in meeting soon.”

“Good work,” L nods, “please act with caution however, showing your face is inherently risky.”

“No trouble; it keeps me on my toes,” Aiber jokes. “I’ll keep you updated and—Oh! I’ve gotten five million off them so far.”

“You’ll be sending us half of that, I assume?” Light interrupts.

“I’m sure you can get a cut.” Aiber chuckles. “They’re offering another ten if I hand over L. Interested in that too?”

“I’ll think about it,” Light smirks.

L shots him a weak glare, grumbling; “if you two are done sorting finances?”

“Of course,” Aiber’s smirk is practically audible.

“Well then continue on,” L directs. “We’ll talk more when you’re back in Japan.”

“Got it.” Aiber disconnects.

“You shouldn’t talk so casually with criminals, Light,” Souichirou hesitates, visibly uncomfortable.

“We’re kind of in a strange situation Dad,” Light replies. “Besides, better that dirty money go towards funding our investigation than someone else, right? We’re not with the NPA anymore and I’m sure Ryuzaki’s pockets, though deep, aren’t limitless.”

“They are pretty deep though,” L shrugs. “I don’t think we need to be squabbling over something so insignificant as two point five million.”

“In-insignificant?” Matsuda warbles.

L takes an ugly big bite out of his cream coated cupcake.

* * *

The first Yotsuba meeting they spy upon is illuminating. The idiot eight seem to realize, finally, that it makes logical sense to spread out the times of death for their victims. They confirm some of the conditions necessary for orchestrating a death through accidental means but they’re otherwise dull and unoriginal.

Light understands why he sent the power in this direction.

These people, these leeches, are predictable. Plucking the mechanism of his power from them will be simple once they can isolate the culprit and the source. Once he has it back—Well, Light suspects once he has the power back he’ll also regain his memories. That’s his theory anyway. Things will likely be much clearer when he has all the information. He’s probably anticipated most of these twist and turns. He has faith in himself to do that much especially with such weak willed opponents.

Adults are so vain and greedy.

Light wonders why so many smart people lose their spark to this inane game of money and status. It’s so…

“What do you think Light?” L draws him back into the room suddenly.

“About what in particular?” Light asks warily.

“Well if we wait for one of their victims to die we confirm they are indeed connected to the current Kira but—”

“But then innocent people will die!” Souichirou continues to argue passionately.

Light’s eyes flicker carefully over his shoulder.

If he supports L in this cold hearted approach, and he wants to, that will give them more data but it will also draw unnecessary suspicion on Light’s character as a just and kind young honour student. He can’t allow that. Besides, in the back of his mind Light knows how this power works so proving the mechanism for L doesn’t benefit him directly.

He chews the inside of his cheek carefully while the idiot eight theorize on the screen.

“We can’t allow innocent people to die,” Light maintains to his father’s evident relief. “I can’t support something so heartless but I understand where, rationally, Ryuzaki is coming from.”

“If we act now, without more information, Kira could escape.” L argues firmly. “Innocent lives are of the utmost importance but we don’t have enough information to close the net yet. Our pool of suspects is still too big.”

The idiot eight start laying out time frames for the next few days.

Souichirou is visibly rankled.

“We need to protect those people.”

“We have the eight’s numbers, right?” Light asks L.

L nods. “Why?”

“Pass me the phone,” Light orders. “I’m going to call them.”

“Light—” Matsuda fumbles.

“My odds of hitting Kira are one in seven, maybe two,” Light rues. “I don’t think it’s Namikawa but he has good sway so—”

“So what? What can you do with that much information?” Souichirou panics. “If they know we’re investigating them—”

“I’m borrowing you name for a second, Ryuzaki.” Light warns, pressing the phone against his ear.

L nods.

Souichirou opens his mouth but L shushes him gently.

Light watches as, on the screen, Namikawa picks up his cell.

“Listen carefully and do not make a scene; I’m L.”

Namikawa’s eyes flash, maybe, it’s hard to tell on this footage but he maintains a competently aloof demeanour around his companions for the time being.

Good.

“We have the room bugged with listening devices and cameras. I have evidence of you planning the deaths of several high-profile businessmen already so let’s make a deal.”

L presses his thumb to his lips and leans a little closer to watch Light closely.

“I want you to delay the killings of the executives for one month, you should be able to do that. Convincing your companions shouldn’t be difficult.” Light leans into the counter. “If you agree to work with me I will promise you and all your companions who are _not_ Kira immunity from criminal prosecution. We’ll view you as victims extorted into this.”

“Yeah, okay,” Namikawa rumbles levelly, remaining casual.

“To make this abundantly clear, while you’re thinking,” Light continues, “I want to explain to you that if you remain on the side-lines you’re safe whoever wins. Reveal this conversation and you’re all caught in the ensuing panic. Do nothing and you allow Kira and I to fight this out personally. I win, you’re not prosecuted. Kira wins, you get to carry on as normal. Understood?”

“Yeah, sounds good,” Namikawa maintains that level expression but Light can see the braincells bouncing frantically around his skull.

“Later.” Light grunts.

“Okay, see you Monday.” He agrees, hanging up.

Light tucks the phone back in the cradle and watches.

Diligent, well behaved, Namikawa expertly talks his companions into delaying all competitor killings for a month while Coil investigates L.

They’ve got time.

“That was…” Matsuda blinks dumbly at the screen.

Souichirou, not for the first time, looks as though he’s seen a side of Light he never expected to find hiding under the Teflon skin of his affable high school son. He seems bamboozled, like he’s just starting to piece together Light is a lot smarter than he quite appreciates or understands.

“That was very impressive, Light.” L rues, blinking at the screen. “You’d make a good successor to my title, if I die.”

“Oh shut up,” Light grunts levelly. “We’ve got work to do, right? And what’s this nonsense about you dying?”

“Yes, you’re right…” L snorts. “Maybe you shouldn’t go back to college? I think I’ve got a full-time job for you here once this Kira case is solved.”

Light meets his gaze and while they both understand, know, that’s impossible L seems disgustingly sincere in his expression right now. It’s…

It’s kind of painful.

“Sounds great,” Light answers, maintaining that plastic smile he’s so skilled at. “I think I’d like to keep doing this with you forever Ryuzaki.”

That was maybe a bit too much.

Light hesitates, half awkward, and L blinks at him, head titling just so with a more knowing curiosity. They have to play these games, for the others, but does L really always know when he’s lying and when he’s not? If so there must be some confusion right now because Light’s not even sure if he’s lying or being honest right now.

* * *

Light waits until the detectives step away to have dinner in one of the adjoining rooms, still churning over what to do with the month Light’s bought them, to present his idea to L.

“You know what makes most sense right now?” Light supposes.

“Misa.” L replies. “You’re thinking it too, right?”

“It seems fickle to endanger a woman,” Light sighs. “But if she was the second Kira at some stage she’s likely more capable than she lets on. Besides, there’s a way to use her reputation to further our investigation.”

“I was thinking that too,” L nods. “We send Aiber in, as Coil, and suggest to the eight that while Misa was under investigation she learnt useful information about my true identity. That’ll get Misa in and from there…”

“This Kira is definitely stupid enough to try and approach Misa privately.” Light nods. “Once we have that we can clue in on a more direct suspect and start working to destroy them.”

“Capture, charge. Not destroy.” L corrects.

“Your word, my word, it’s all the same.”

“I don’t think it is,” L snorts, amused. “I think you would actually destroy this man for your own advantage. Don’t need competition for the throne or a loose end to reveal your identity, right?”

“So accusatory,” Light turns up his nose. “You just won’t bother to kill him yourself. Once you’ve stripped him of his power and freedom he might as well not exist to you. He’s worthless when he stops being entertaining.”

“That’s a cruel way of putting my thought process.” L huffs.

“Am I wrong?”

“Not exactly.” L shrugs. “But there are people I value outside their abilities to entertain me, just for the record.”

“Oh yes?” Light invites.

“Watari, for certain, and other people too.” L nods. “But you haven’t met them yet. Maybe one day I can introduce you.”

“Don’t talk like that when we don’t have an audience.” Light frowns, gut twisting. “I won’t be any fun either once you’ve locked me up in a padded cell.”

“I don’t think so Light,” L grins. “I think you could entertain me in a million ways, for a million years, without me ever getting bored.”

Light takes a deep breath.

Why does he feel uncomfortable…?

“Why did you get offended when I said--?” L starts all at once.

“You only want to plant the idea of me succeeding you to protect your own ass.” Light scoffs tartly. “If I’m Kira then regaining my power while taking over your title would be an ultimate position of power. I could run the investigation on myself and never be caught. So then if I take that position now it’ll look suspicious.”

“True,” L admits.

Light huffs, glancing away.

He can’t stand to look at L today for some reason. Is he always this insufferable?

“Besides,” L announces, “I’d much rather us work together. I can’t enjoy all this if I’m dead.”

Light tightens his crossed arms a little tighter.

Asshole.

“Is that an offer you’d prefer?” L dangles the option, practically taunting.

Light could just hit him.

But what’s that old expression?

 _Don’t get mad, get even_.

“Talk like that and I’ll think you want to kiss me again,” Light teases snidely. 

“I wouldn’t be opposed,” L murmurs, eyes darting quickly between Light and the screen.

Light smirks, slouching back in his chair.

“Even though I kiss like a dying man?”

“I just think that might be a lot for Misa to process,” L counters, “I never said I disliked the intensity of it.”

“And what do you like?” Light purrs.

“Well probably some awful things if I asked to kiss you with your father in the next room.” L murmurs.

“Is that a no?” Light tempts.

“No,” L admits wickedly, hesitating in his tower of full cream milk capsules.

Light glances towards the door over their shoulder, just flickering past it to assure himself they’re alone, and grabbing L’s roller chair yanks him closer.

L lowers his knees, twisting, and all at once his hand comes up to slide across Light’s cheek and bunch in his hair slamming them together hard.

Why was Light doing this again?

He seems to have stopped caring.

Their mouths work against each other. Hot and mean and unstoppable. They press their weight into each other, precariously balanced, and everything else is somehow slammed into a mental janitor’s closet. There is, in that second, nothing else but supernova heat and focus. L’s hand in his hair, L’s lips, vaguely cold and clammy but firm and alive. Everything about him is so distractingly male. His scent, his breath, the shape of his mouth, the thinness of his lips…

Light’s not sure who leans a littler closer in that second but then—

_CRASH_

They overbalance and crash off their office chairs onto a pile on the tiles.

They blink at each other, absent and dazed, and—

“Were you two fighting again?” Matsuda sticks his head in from the other room. “What were you arguing about _now?_ ”

“I was showing Light a magic trick,” L deadpans unapologetically.

“Huh?” Matsuda blinks.

“It was pretty lame.” Light assures Matsuda. “Technically I think it was more of a _prank_ than a trick.”

“You’re the one who compromised our balance.” L maintains.

“Me--? I did not!” Light huffs furiously.


	5. Chapter 5

Talking the other detectives into using Misa is something of an effort but Misa makes things delightfully easy. She struts up to Light, hands clasped behind her back, and says;

“Do you need me to do this Light?”

“Yes Misa, it would seriously help the investigation,” Light answers. “Ryuzaki will help prepare you and we’ll make sure you’re safe but—”

“Then Misa will do it!” She answers without even really listening to him.

“Misa,” Light sighs, “are you even paying attention?”

“Not really,” Misa grins, “but if you need me to help I’ll do my best! That’s what matters, right?”

“I suppose so…” Light shrugs. “Thank you Misa, you’re very brave.”

Misa chirps delightedly.

“You never tell me I’m brave,” L teases, scratching his chin.

“You’re an insufferable sewer troll.” Light deadpans back.

“Savage!” Misa laughs coyly.

“I don’t know why he treats me so cruelly, Misa,” L sighs. “Maybe if I had your good looks he’d be nicer?”

“Nah, I don’t think so,” Misa grins. “That’s how guys treat their friends, you know?”

“Really?” L blinks.

“Oh yeah,” Misa nods. “All the guys I used to go to school with were just like that! They were always hassling their close friends. I think it’s just a boy thing.”

“So we are friends,” L turns on Light.

“I’m a hostage.” Light lifts his cuffed wrist.

“Well Stockholm syndrome still has time to kick in,” L shrugs.

Light snorts. He can’t help it. It’s the dark jokes that get him right in gut.

“Let’s get you ready for your debut Misa,” Light hurries them both along. “We don’t have much time.”

The idiot eight—Well, now technically the stupid seven since Kira offed one of their more skittish members, must spend several hours interviewing Misa for her _‘commercial_ ’. They ask as many questions about L and the investigation as they can think of but Misa deflects them with a few tempting breadcrumbs to lure them in closer.

Once the interview is finished they have private messages from three of the VPs to Misa’s email and cell phone.

They just make this too easy.

“Next move?” Light confers to L readily.

“Well…” L rubs his chin thoughtfully. “We can use Misa to extract more information in a private setting. Three of the seven have already contacted her. Higuchi, Kido and Takahashi.”

“What’re the odds one of them is the current Kira?” Light considers.

“About fifty percent.”

“And who, on your assessment, is the _stupidest_ of those three?” Light taps his chin.

L barely thinks about it; “Higuchi.”

“Him then.” Light decides.

“What’s your reasoning?”

“Either he’s an easy dismissal and unlikely to be truly dangerous to Misa,” Light supposes, “or he is Kira and he’ll give us an easy confession on the bug.”

“Light—” Matsuda frowns.

“No, that does check out.” L replies. 

“But…” Matsuda wavers.

“I agree with Light,” L decides. “We bug Misa and get her alone with Higuchi. We’ll tail them closely. Worse case scenario Wedy can take Higuchi out and we’ll make it look like an accident to soothe the other six.” 

“That’s kind of brutal.” Matsuda swallows.

“We can’t raise suspicion.” L shrugs. “And you wouldn’t want us to allow a criminal to hurt Misa, of course?”

“Oh—Of course! But—” Matsuda fumbles.

“I don’t know how I feel about planting a wire on Misa,” Souichirou speaks up warily. “She’s not a trained detective.”

“She’s a trained actress.” Light shrugs.

“That’s not the same thing and you know it,” Souichirou frowns disapprovingly over Light.

“You’d be surprised how alike talented actors and seasoned criminals are.” L murmurs absently.

No on else catches it, of course, but Light knows that’s a jab at him.

Light rolls his eyes and focuses on the issue at hand.

L shares a glance with him, teasing for a second, but he soon matches Light’s sternness. They need to convince the others, Light explains without having to even open his mouth. L nods almost invisibly and makes a tiny gesture with his hand like he’s opening the floor to Light. Light is the more convincing of the two of them, the smooth talker. He can ease the way but—

Light nods, a tiny gesture, and makes a motion like slitting his throat under his chin with a lazy hand. He means; if this doesn’t work L will have to pull rank and force the detectives to cooperate. L nods invisibly again.

Light turns away from the screens back to the detectives.

“Listen, I don’t like putting Misa in danger any more than the rest of you,” Light assures them kindly. “But Misa’s vulnerability, in a way, protects her.”

“How do you figure?” Souichirou permits.

“These guys won’t expect much of her. They’ll think they can push her around, intimidate her, but we’ll be backing her up the whole time. They won’t think they have to hurt her to get what they want but if they do…” Light trails off pointedly.

The detectives exchange a weary glance.

“Light does have a point,” Mogi concedes. “These big shots probably just want to show off to Misa, flirt, ya know?”

“I guess that’s right…” Matsuda hums.

“If you don’t have faith in Misa, have faith in Ryuzaki and I,” Light encourages.

“I suppose you’re right…” Souichirou relents weakly.

Light glances.

L shoots him a tiny thumbs up.

Back to work then.

* * *

Is it normal that they can do this? Have basically invisible conversations in front of other people? Light’s not sure when exactly it happened but it’s like they suddenly developed their own language. Now, all at once, Light can read more in L’s neutral expressions and he’s sure L is slowly calibrating his radar to tell every time Light is talking out of his ass.

That’s dangerous.

Before too long they’ll be a real long term threat to each other. After all, this makes them great allies but devastating enemies.

Light will have to kill him quickly.

But it’s hard to think about killing L at times like this.

The detectives have gone home for the night earlier than usual, resting up for their operation tomorrow, so Light and L have taken the laptops up with thirteenth floor and are sprawled in their bed typing away.

Light is fairly sure L isn’t paying him any real attention but Light is still being careful to cover his tracks.

A name.

He needs L’s real name.

L said Watari would be easier to find. So how does he find Watari’s real identity? Older man, sixties easily, British or European especially given L was born in a poor part of England and they seem to be some kind of relation blood or legal.

Richmond upon Thames. That’s what L said, right?

It’s a socioeconomically poor part of London. Was L from a bad family?

How did L and Watari meet?

L’s maybe mid-twenties, max, and he’s being doing this for a while so then he was likely working as a minor. So did Watari back him? Watari would need capital to do that before L built a reputation. And where would Watari find L?

A foster situation?

An orphanage?

Light starts searching.

What orphanages were in Richmond upon Thames, around twenty years ago, with serious financial backing by a well to do white man?

Light’s eyes flicker across the screen, absorbed in his task.

“What’re you doing?” L asks curiously.

“Playing solitaire.” Light lies fluidly.

L snorts, not believing him for a second.

“What’re you _actually_ doing?”

“Looking at porn.” Light lies again, refusing to answer.

“Plotting to kill me then,” L concludes.

“I didn’t say that.” Light responds.

“You didn’t deny it either.” L notes.

“Well…” Light hesitates, fingers stiff on the keyboard as he finishes covering his tracks.

He’s always so methodical, so straightforward.

Why does he feel so fucking confused all of a sudden?

The game here is simple: kill L to win.

So then what is this…? This feeling…? Dread, tension… something _strange_.

“Do you want to kiss again?” L offers blandly.

Light tenses.

“I’m plotting to kill you, and you want to make out?” Light snaps.

“Well I don’t expect I can change your mind,” L shrugs sprawled back across the end of the bed, “but I can distract you and that’s certainly fun for me too.”

“You— _Ugh_.” Light groans, rubbing at his face. “I need to sleep.”

“You don’t have to look so torn, Light,” L blinks.

“What does that mean?” Light snaps.

“I don’t blame you,” L assures. “You got yourself into this mess and now you need to fight for yourself. I don’t look down on you for that. I would be trying to kill me too if our situations were reversed.”

Light stews.

These feelings are inane. Maybe if--? Yeah, maybe if he uncomplicates the wires in his head the path ahead will be clearer. Snapping the laptop shut Light discards it on the bedside table and crawls to the end of the bed where L is sprawled across the sheets typing practically upside down.

“Hmm?” L glances.

“I think I’ll take you up on that offer.” Light decides.

“What’re you planning now?” L snorts, and he seems so disgustingly amused. He looks at Light like this whole cat-and-mouse murder plot is endearing.

Is the bastard so confident Light can’t kill him?

Or is he just prepared to die?

Light frowns, pulling the laptop out of L’s fingers and shutting it. L lets him proceed unhindered and Light puts the laptop on the pillows behind him. No distractions.

No interruptions this time either.

“Are there cameras on this floor too?” Light leans over L, resting on his elbows.

“Yes,” L nods, “but only Watari and I can access the footage of our suite. As unfair as it is to Misa, I selfishly want a little privacy from the detectives.”

“Bastard,” Light snorts.

L looks so pleased with himself and Light can’t even pretend he means the words to carry more venom than they ultimately do on exhale. 

_Damn it_.

Light ducks down pouring a kiss into L that—

What is he trying to do?

It’s not like he can kiss his real name out of him.

Is he just trying to forget?

Every hour they get closer and closer to annihilation wherein one, or both of them, will die.

Light feels himself start to waver but that’s not to say he wants to stop either.

L shifts, all at once, and Light lets the detective flip them. He’s a lot stronger than all that slouching would suggest Light is learning but that’s annoyingly attractive in it’s own way.

Light, in a moment of weakness, let’s L lead the pace for a moment. L kisses him with such certainty, such strength, like there’s not a doubt in his mind. How can he be so clear headed at a time like this?

Light, in a flash of petulance, grips L’s throat in his hand and squeezes.

L retaliates, short and curt, by forcing the weight of his knee between Light’s legs.

Light considers that, ponders, and easing his hand curls it around to tangle in the hair along the back of L’s scalp. Not tugging just tangling. Soft and wanton, almost petting.

L softens in turn, play for play, hand smooth under Light’s shirt to grasp the indent of his waist without tailing or intruding any further. It’s just a closeness; skin on skin.

No one’s walking in on them tonight.

Theoretically Light could…

Well…

It’s not a matter of should. _Should_ Light sleep with L? Probably not. But is it _beneficial_ to him? Strategically speaking there’s so much more going on. Light needs to clear his mind. He can’t be uncertain about this. He needs to kill Ryuzaki, kill L.

But then—

L’s tongue tests the press of his lips and Light isn’t really thinking when he wraps both arms around L and open his mouth. That hand on his waist slips up his bare back, between his shoulder blades under his shirt and—

Should L taste sweet? Probably. Does he? No.

It’s a different taste. All sex and flesh and spit. Not feminine, not childish, not easily forgotten or conquered. Light likes it a lot. Light likes all of this. He likes how firm L feels over the top of him, pressing into him. He likes L’s scent. He likes how soft his tangled hair is and how hot his tongue is in Light’s mouth. He doesn’t want it to stop.

Light’s hands drag down L’s back tugging up the hem of his shirt and bunching it towards his shoulders as they kiss wetly.

L trails his mouth down Light’s neck, along his jaw, into the crook where jaw becomes ear and—

Light hisses, earlobe and teeth making contact, while his fingers skitter and scratch at L’s shirt. He tugs again, making himself clear, and L shuffles on his elbows.

“Slow down, slow down,” L whispers, sitting back for a second to throw off his shirt.

Light reaches for him and tugs him back down hard.

L doesn’t resist.

He’s so warm.

Light gropes his shoulders, traces the curve of an ear…

L’s tongue curls around his.

Light feels a kind of frantic haze come over him, a rush of panic.

He stiffens, pushing L back, and the detective freezes over the top of him.

There’s sweat, panting breath, but Light’s stomach keeps twisting like broken glass inside him.

Is this how he wants to do things?

Lose his virginity with a dead man?

No, it’s…

Light groans, covering his face with his hands.

He feels sick.

 _Damn it_.

“Would you really do it?” Light whispers, face covered.

L is painfully quiet for a long moment but Light can’t bare to look at him.

“Yes,” L promises.

“Idiot,” Light hisses.


	6. Chapter 6

They don’t talk about it.

Why would they?

Light is fairly sure L understands whether he says so out loud or not. Does L think Light has a soul? After everything he’s done is it even possible? This attraction between them is magnetic and filling, quenching, but Light can’t escape the complications. He understands, on some level, why he wants L but he can’t quite decipher why L would want _him_.

Then again, L didn’t get to this position of power without being a little neurodivergent.

The Kira case is closing in.

They’re running out of time.

Misa drops one line about wanting to marry the real Kira and Higuchi splatters a confession all across the inside of his fancy car. They’ve got it on the wire Misa was wearing but L doesn’t want to bring him in without the weapon; the power of Kira. 

Higuchi agrees to not kill anyone for several days to prove himself to Misa and the data checks out as they monitor the situation.

They’ve got him.

Now it’s a matter of closing the net.

He’s lost, L and Light agree, he’s just not sitting in a cell yet. They can manage that. But how to bring him in without the power hidden or lost somewhere?

“Matsuda,” L decides. “We start a broadcast on Sakura TV promising to leak the identity of Kira on national television. They can be interviewing Matsuda.”

“And then Higuchi will need to kill Matsuda, properly.” Light nods. “But he’s only got the power of the first Kira meaning he doesn’t know Matsuda’s true name and—”

“We can use that to lure him to Misa’s agency building.” L elaborates. “He’ll bring the weapon to kill on the spot. Time will be short and he won’t be able to risk involving anyone else.”

“Right,” Light agrees. “I think that’s the best idea.”

“We’ll set up the specifics.” L murmurs, scratching his chin. “Sakura TV will play anything if it promises a spectacle and Misa’s agency shouldn’t be too difficult to wrangle into submission if we warn them a killer is going to come rampaging through their building.”

“Exactly,” Light replies.

That means they’ve got probably forty-eight hours until detonation.

What is the power of Kira?

Will it bring Light’s memories back?

Even if it does he doesn’t have L’s true name yet. Did he plan for that eventuality? Has he got a solution to that problem? What if he doesn’t?

No, he has to have faith in himself. He would’ve planned for this. It’ll all be clear once he has his memories back. Then he can act. His certainty will return with those memories and he’ll have the strength to move forward. Nothing will stop him.

In the fallout he can probably take over L’s position.

The detectives trust him after all and acting as L will benefit him.

He just…

He just has to kill Ryuzaki, kill L.

“Any hints?” L speaks up suddenly.

“Huh?” Light jerks his way.

“About the power,” L asks. “Do you have any theories about what it looks like yet?”

“Honestly?” Light murmurs. “No, not really. It has to be something absurd to be capable of so much. Downright supernatural, like your said. Hell, we might even meet a Shinigami when this is all said and done.”

“I wondered that myself,” L admits. “It sounds…. Uncomfortable. But, then again, if the supernatural is real that only opens up a whole new dimension of puzzles for me to solve. I suppose I have to put a positive spin on it.”

“Yeah, exactly,” Light sighs.

“You don’t seem yourself,” L notes aptly. “Is everything alright?”

“Well this is going to be a big night for all of us,” Light laughs bitterly. “We all have to perform to the best of our abilities. You and I have complicated roles in the finale. I guess I’m just feeling the pressure.”

“Once we have it, the power of Kira,” L rues, “then the real race starts. I don’t doubt I’ll need to make the most of every second to defeat you without being killed.”

“You might’ve bought yourself a little time these past few months,” Light confesses. “If I’m still the same person when we catch Higuchi then…”

“I suppose only time will tell,” L shrugs.

“Yeah…” Light chews on the pain.

“Whatever happens, whoever you are tomorrow,” L murmurs, “I’ve enjoyed the time we did have.”

“Yeah, same.” Light snorts weakly. “I’m sorry it’ll be over soon.”

“Me too, Light.”

* * *

Light’s brain is swirling.

_Rem._

That’s what Higuchi says in his speeding sports car as he races across the city.

Light keeps waiting for it to awaken something inside him but the name only tickles, doesn’t sting like it should. It’s a Shinigami, he’s sure of it. Somehow he and Higuchi and likely Misa are working with a Shinigami.

Higuchi bursts into Misa’s darkened agency building, detectives waiting in the shadows, and rifles through the staff files frantically looking for Matsuda’s name. Or what they’ve planted as Matsuda’s name anyway.

He writes it down and—

“He’s just leaving.” Misa frowns.

“That doesn’t make sense,” L’s eyes flash across the screen. “He should want to kill Matsuda immediately.”

“ _Ryuzaki, should we move in?_ ” Mogi chimes over the comms. line.

“Not yet.” L orders, switching off the line roughly. “Damn it, what is he doing? Watari switch back to the cameras and mics in the car.”

In his car Higuchi is just watching the broadcast.

Something inside Light—

Like a heartbeat something pulses inside him.

A realization.

It’s the notebook.

Writing the name _is_ the killing move.

That means—

“ _Fuck why isn’t he dying?_ ” Higuchi screeches at the TV in his sportscar as Matsuda continues his interview at Sakura TV.

“Did he already do it…?” L frowns. “But how did…?”

L growls, moving across the desk to grab the keyboard.

Light mind starts to whir a thousand miles an hour.

Should he say something?

No.

This is all going according to plan.

If Higuchi can’t kill Matsuda the traditional way he’ll—

“ _Rem_ ,” Higuchi hisses, “ _I want to make the deal._ ”

The power of the second Kira.

Just a face, no name needed.

“Deal?” L pauses.

“He’s heading for Sakura TV.” Light straightens, playing his part as the tension escalates. “We need to stop him before he gets there.”

“Damn it,” L snaps. “All units; switch to pursuit and detain. Cover your faces. We have to assume he’s taken on the abilities of the second Kira. Watari get the copter.”

L scrambles up and Light is already turning before L tugs on the tether between them.

“Light, you’re coming with me,” he orders. “Misa, I’m terribly sorry but you’re going to have to be temporarily restrained.”

“ _Restrained?_ ” Misa shrieks as L whips out a pair of standard issue handcuffs. 

“Be right back Misa,” Light promises.

This won’t take long.

In the copter Light feels a dark certainty creeping over him.

He knows his lines. He knows how to act and what to say. He rolls through each motion like a professional. Everything is counted to a particular rhythm and he feels all his focus narrowing down for the moment of the kill.

Higuchi has a notebook. Light is sure of it.

Light has to get his hands on it.

Light can see all the moves unravelling as he starts to account for them. It’s so precise. L will head out on the copter, the detectives will try and cut Higuchi off while masked, they’ll corner him. If not at Yotsuba head quarters then on the motorway heading back. Light watches all the dominoes fall perfectly into place.

How did he plan this all so perfectly?

He’s proud of himself.

So many factors accounted for.

It’s almost fun to surprise himself with a symphony like this. He rarely gets to be on the outside of his own schemes, right?

L is tightened with a vicious focus.

Light just needs to keep moving. L hasn’t broken the pace yet and so long as things continue to fall into Light’s plan he doesn’t need to stop or hesitate or draw unnecessary attention. L has so much going on, Higuchi so dangerous, that he can’t possibly focus on all the factors at once. He’s good but no human brain is capable of that much simultaneously. There’s just too much real time stimuli.

On the bridge they clap Higuchi into cuffs, blindfold secured around his face, bleeding and bruised and thoroughly defeated.

L has Souichirou clap a headset on Higuchi and he starts demanding the weapon, threatening, promising retribution and torture…

Higuchi takes less than five minutes to roll over.

Then all the screaming is from the detectives as they see it: Rem.

The Shinigami of the notebook.

It occurs to Light as L is handed the notebook that two must exist. One for him, one for Misa. His mind is churning. He can use that. He’s probably hidden the second note somewhere. If Misa uncovers it then Light can apply more pressure on L while the investigation into the first continues and then—

“A Shinigami….” L wheezes, eyes flickering over the motorway in awe.

“ _What?_ ” Light gapes. “Show me.”

The second he has it, the second his greedy little fingers make contact, a tidal wave of data comes blasting through his brain like a tsunami rips through a seaside resort.

Light can’t help it.

He’s screaming.

His head feels like its splitting open.

_Ryuk._

_Raye Penber._

_Naomi Misora._

_Misa Aname._

_Rem._

_The Death Note_.

Light wheezes, breath hiccupping out of him. It all comes slamming back. Rem’s on the highway, watching him with those sharp slitted eyes of hers, standing eleven feet. Fierce as an any old god.

Light knows.

He knows where the second notebook is.

He knows everything he needs to win.

But with this data L will be on his trail quickly.

L is talking to the detectives.

Light moves on instinct.

Watch.

Secret compartment.

Hidden pin and scrap of paper.

He needs to reclaim ownership of the note and at this point Higuchi is a liability.

He moves on auto pilot. This is raw flight-fight instinct compelling him forward. He can’t stop. He watches L more than anything else. His hands move under the compact cover of the darkened helicopter cockpit.

 _Kyosuke Higuchi_.

Forty, thirty-nine, thirty-eight…

“Yagami take Higuchi into custody.” L orders. “We’ll move to interrogate back at HQ.”

Twenty-three, twenty-two…

“Understood,” Souichirou chimes over the comms.

L frowns.

Light cradles the notebook.

Ten, nine, eight…

“Strange to think it’s actually real,” L murmurs, “I confess I didn’t honestly believe it until this second. A magic notebook of death huh…?”

“It’s crazy.” Light wheezes.

Three, two…

Higuchi spasms violently on the motorway in-between police.

“What?” L leans forward, eyes sharp.

And with that: he’s Kira again.

* * *

The detectives are scrambling to get their heads around the Death Note. L seems to have computed the details better than anyone but Light can see the gears turning inside his head at a frantic pace. L knows this is the twilight hour. At any point now Light will start orchestrating his death.

Light can see it in his mind as the other detectives review the Death Note.

They'll find Ryuk’s fake rules.

Light and Misa will be set free.

Light will send Misa to reclaim Ryuk’s Death Note.

Misa will punish criminals with her memories returned.

Pressure will close around L forcing him to knuckle down.

In order to protect Misa Rem will have no choice but to write L’s true name in her Death Note.

Rem will die.

L will die.

Light will exit the game with L’s title and three notebooks.

It’s so beautifully simple.

And so _horrifically_ cruel.

Light swallows.

His certainty, his resolve as Kira, where is it? Why can’t he find it?

It should’ve come back with the Death Note.

He should be himself again.

But he’s not, he’s _different_.

If he doesn’t kill L then he’s doomed. L isn’t an idiot. It won’t take him forever to unravel the specifics. He’ll test the Death Note, he’ll interrogate Rem if he has to, and if Light doesn’t act then L will eventually have all the data he needs to turn the case back towards him.

Light doesn’t have the time to think of a new plan. Even if he did he _needs_ to kill L. It’s the only way he can survive. They’re at an impossible impasse.

But he…

Disgusting.

Weak.

Stupid.

Light doesn’t want to live in a world where he’s killed L.

“—so then Misa and Light can’t be responsible!” Matsuda chimes in just on cue.

“Thank God,” Souichirou wheezes, hand falling on Light’s shoulder. “Then, Ryuzaki, we can’t continue this. We need to release Light and Misa. They’ve been cleared of suspicion.”

“Rem,” L murmurs carefully. “The Death Note, there is more than one notebook, that’s correct?”

“Yes, each Shinigami has one.” Rem rumbles levelly.

“Are there more in the human world?” L questions.

“I don’t know.” Rem lies, totally straightforward.

They don’t know Rem.

As far as they see it; she has no reason to lie.

“And these other Death Notes,” L continues, “they all have the same rules?”

“As far as I know, yes.” Rem lies again. “They are all the same.”

L pauses.

“I understand,” he continues carefully. “Sorry for the—”

“Wait.” Light speaks up.

What is he doing?

He’s about to win.

Just shut up.

L freezes, eyes shifting to Light’s face properly for the first time, sharp as knives.

“Everyone out.” Light orders, nails biting into his palm.

“Light…?” Matsuda blinks.

“What’re you saying?” Souichirou frowns.

Light meets L’s gaze, pointed, steady.

“You heard him.” L rumbles, eyes never wavering. “Everyone who is not a Shinigami should leave.”

“But—” Souichirou fumbles.

“Trust me.” Light hisses. “You’ve always had faith in me, just hold onto it for a little longer, okay Dad?” He forces a weak smile over his shoulder.

“I… of course….” Souichirou backs up. “Come on, all of you, let’s give them some space.”

They’ll rationalize this.

A new threat, a vital clue, something key to the investigation that the mere mortals can’t know yet. They’ll see this as another exhibit of L and Light working in tandem. They won’t be concerned. Not yet.

The door closes behind the detectives so loudly.

It sounds like the guillotine coming down.

Damn it.

This is such a bad idea.

This isn’t a smart strategy. This is a risky move born of bad feelings and stupid weaknesses. Light shouldn’t be doing this. He’s about to doom himself.

L doesn’t say anything, but his eyes never leave Light.

“This is my confession.” Light murmurs, meeting his gaze carefully.

“There’s a second notebook, isn’t there?” L supposes.

“Yes,” Light nods.

Rem stiffens.

She doesn’t understand.

“You remember, don’t you?” L continues.

“Yes,” Light repeats.

“I can see at least four moves left open to you,” L murmurs, “so then why are you telling me this now? What’s the game?”

“No game.” Light swears. “This is different.”

L frowns.

“This..." Light sighs. "This is my sincere request that you’ll protect me.” He whispers.

L’s expression twists, lips parting almost dumbly in a gawk.

Rem keeps watching.

She trusts Light is a genius, yes, but she also knows he’s a fighter.

Besides, if this fails and he endangers Misa she’ll just kill him and L right here.

L glances to the Death Note before him, to the screens, to all the evidence strewn around the room. His case, the Kira case. He’s so close to winning himself. If he exposes Light now then it’ll all be over. Light is putting his trust in L, a raw and deadly move, but L doesn’t have to reciprocate.

If it doesn’t mean anything to him, then…

Well, Light’s making himself very vulnerable right now.

“You’re putting your life in my hands,” L manages weakly. “You must know that’s not the smartest move.”

“I do,” Light whispers, nails biting into his palms.

“You could win without this level of risk.” L continues, unravelling it in his brain.

“I could,” Light agrees.

“Then why…?”

“I don’t want to kill you.” Light confesses, more than anything. “I don’t want to bury you.”

L frowns, expression painfully serious.

“Where’s the second notebook?” He asks.

That's not reassurance. 

“Outside the city.” Light recounts. “It’s buried in a lock box near an old tree. There’s a note to Misa waiting inside. She made the eye deal originally and when you two met at my college she would’ve seen your real name. The notebook will restore her memories of everything, including your real name.”

“That’s a lot riding on Misa.” L rues.

“I know, that’s why the original plan was to have Misa resume killing criminals. That would get you on her scent again and, to protect her, Rem would kill you.”

“Rem?” L glances back over his shoulder.

“You are truly foul, Light Yagami.” Rem growls.

“Rem loves Misa.” Light explains. “And killing to save a human also kills a Shinigami. I could leave here with three notebooks and you dead, Ryuzaki.”

“Then why are you saying this?” Rem demands.

“Change of plans, Rem.” Light admits. “But our agreement still stands. If I put Misa in danger you can kill me. I expect you to hold to that.”

“I don’t understand you're thinking,” Rem grumbles. “This is dangerous to you above all else. If you’d just remained quiet you could’ve had all of that and no one left to stand in your way.”

“I know,” Light repeats.

“But you don’t want to kill me,” L murmurs.

“No,” Light nods.

“Take me to the second note.” L orders. “Right now.”

“Alright,” Light submits. “But we’re going to need to bring some apples.”


	7. Chapter 7

It’s dark and it’s cold out in the middle of nowhere.

L is armed and Light does the digging on his hands and knees.

Light suspects L is still waiting for the other foot to drop, for Light to reveal some grand scheme, but maybe he’s just sincerely confused and conflicted himself? Light has put the pressure back upon him. What happens next is truly L’s decision.

Light sits back in the dirt, under the glow of L’s flashlight, and lifts up the second Death Note.

“What’s this all about?” Ryuk grunts, drawing Light’s eyes up towards the branches of the overhanging tree.

“Long time no see.” Light snorts.

“This isn’t what I was expecting.” Ryuk tilts his head.

“I changed my mind,” Light reveals.

“ _Oh?_ ” Ryuk leans forward toothily, his excitement tangible. “You’re always good fun, Light!”

“Here,” L opens his hand.

Light surrenders the second note.

“Huh…” L glances up into the branches, following Light’s gaze. “You Shinigami certainly are visually exciting.”

“What’s that mean?” Ryuk grunts.

“It’s a fancy way of saying you’re ugly.” Light snorts.

“Hey!” Ryuk takes offense. “In my world you’re the funny looking ones! And you’ve got a lot of gal talking shit with circles under your eyes that dark!”

“I guess you’re right,” L ruminates, “my apologies.”

“Ryuk, you’ve met L,” Light digs around in the bag they brought. “L meet Ryuk.”

“Apples!” Ryuk cheers as Light tosses one up to him. “You remembered!”

“Those last few rules in the Death Note, they’re fake then?” L pieces together aptly.

“Yeah,” Light nods on his knees. “I bribed Ryuk to forge them. He’ll do anything for a laugh and some red delicious.”

“So you dropped the original note?” L supposes to Ryuk.

“Yeah, bit of fun,” Ryuk manages between savage bites. “My world is fucking boring.”

Rem sighs loudly behind them, unimpressed.

“Interesting.” L ruminates, Death Note in one hand, flashlight in the other.

“What now?” Light glances.

“Let’s head back to HQ.” L instructs.

“Understood,” Light shifts onto his feet.

“Huh?” Ryuk fathoms. “What happened to you two trying to kill each other? I was looking forward to that!”

“It might still be on the table.” L warns.

Light hesitates, gut twisting.

Ryuk seems to compute what’s happening, what the stakes are, and starts snickering. He’s amused. He always likes drama, he thrives off it, and seeing Light squirm will no doubt be delightful for him. Ryuk isn’t cruel, not exactly, but he’s not on Light’s side. He’s not on anyone’s side. He’s a creature of compulsion and amusement. Humans, Light, Rem, Misa… they don’t mean anything to Ryuk. They’re temporary. Light understands it but he’s a vengeful young man and he would be lying if he said Ryuk’s laughter didn’t make him angry.

“Come on Light, it’s cold out here,” L presses. “Let’s get back to the car.”

“Right,” Light turns to follow him.

In the car L drives. It must be nearing four am and as they head back into the city the night is it’s darkest. Light feels sick. He’s on razor wire, waiting, but he’s berating himself every second.

The only way for L to believe him, to believe he’s serious about any of this, is to throw himself completely at L’s mercy. If he had a single out, any kind of escape plan, then L would deduce this as some kind of scheme and it’d all go down in fire. This is the only way to break the cycle.

But does L care about any of that?

Light has changed in some twisted, ungodly, way but who’s to say L’s changed at all? Maybe making out with suspects is a habit of his?

“Don’t mention this to the detectives.” L instructs suddenly. “As far as they’re concerned, we never left the building.”

“The second notebook—”

“If we’re going to keep you safe from the electric chair they can’t know.” L murmurs.

Light’s stomach bounces up his throat.

“What…?”

“I’ve got a plan.” L assures.

“You’re not going to…?” Light scarcely believes it.

How stupid can they both be?

This can’t be real.

“No,” L admits. “It’s not the ethical thing to do but I’d rather have you alive than be ethical.”

Light feels heavy when he hears that.

It’s too tight in the car for two Shinigami. They’re following overhead. And that just makes the car feel even more intimate all of a sudden.

L’s not going to hand him over.

L is going to protect him.

Light isn’t sure if that’s better or worse.

But—

“Light,” L urges, “breathe. _Breathe_.”

Light throws his head back against the seat and tries to inhale.

The relief washing through him is nearly physical. Like an injection.

He tries to get some air.

“What’re we going to do?” Light whispers, frantic.

“It’s simple,” L assures, “we’ll pin the Kira case on Higuchi. As far as anyone knows the real Kira can’t act without the first notebook so he shouldn’t be a threat anymore. The international authorities won’t care who we charge for it so long as the killings stop and they can say they won.”

“But the notebook—”

“We’ll tell the detectives I’m taking steps to destroy it or place it somewhere where no one will ever be able to access it again. We’ll say that it’s too dangerous to disclose to anyone and, for all our sakes, they need to help keep the secret.” L continues. “We’ll give Misa a piece of the note. That way she can see Rem but not regain her memories. That will keep her safe from investigation and rather than hang over my shoulder, where the detectives can see her, Rem can take charge of protecting Misa.”

“So then, with Rem gone, they’ll think the notebook is gone too?”

“Right,” L nods. “They haven’t touched the second notebook, so the only ones who can see Ryuk are you and I.”

“What’re we _actually_ going to do with the notebooks?” Light supposes. “Those last two rules are fake; we _could_ destroy both books.”

“It’s too risky.” L maintains. “If I was going to execute you I might advise it but that’s not our goal. I’m implicated in this now, we both are, and if we’re going to stay alive we can’t afford to throw away what are, essentially, our greatest weapons.”

“You want to keep them then?” Light concludes.

“You need your memories so we can protect you from loose ends,” L replies. “And we need the notebooks in case we have to act without getting caught to bury the case further. They’re yours but I’ll take responsibility for securing them somewhere safe. We will have to discuss, together, the details for if, when and how we use them should we ever have to.”

“You’re—” Something occurs to Light. “Are you going to tell _me_ where you hide them?”

“No,” L admits. “It puts you at risk, strategically. If you were captured or interrogated you would be in greater danger if you knew the location of the notebooks.”

“I’m not sure I agree with all of that,” Light weighs it in his head. “But I also understand you probably don’t want me getting ideas about using the notebooks myself should the opportunity present itself.”

“I’ll bury what you did and whatever we do together,” L promises, “but I won’t permit you to continue being Kira. Not like you were. If that’s hard for you then it’s better for both of us if you can’t access the notebooks whenever you want.”

“I…” Light sighs, pressing his hands against his face. He feels so overwhelmed. “I think you’re right, honestly. I feel a bit like a heroine addict eyeing my fix. If I can’t easily access the notebooks that’ll help me.”

“Right,” L agrees.

Light feels so dizzy, so sick.

“Let’s get some sleep, a few hours at least,” L urges. “Tomorrow we’ll pull this off. Think you can maintain that act for me a little longer?”

“I’ll have to.” Light nods weakly.

“If anyone can do this; it’s us.” L promises. “You just need to stay focused with me. Then, when we’ve got everything in place, you can rest for a moment and we can talk about this properly. I’m sure there are a lot of things you want to say now you’re showing someone your true self for the first time, right?”

“Heh…” Light laughs, exhausted and fretful. “Yeah, there are a few things.”

* * *

He sleeps on the thirteenth floor without really thinking about it and in the mid-morning when he wakes up he really notices for the first time that he’s not handcuffed to anything or anyone. Has this…? Is this the start of something new? 

L is typing in the lounge and Light feels like he weighs a million pounds as he drags himself out of bed- _their bed?_ \- and gets dressed.

“Have you ever eaten a strawberry?”

“Nah man,” Ryuk answers.

“Try it.” L replies.

“I dunno, something that small? Probably like an apple but less satisfying.”

“Try it.” L repeats, insistent.

“Hm…” Ryuk audibly wavers. “Well if you insist…”

A beat of silence as Light buckles his pants.

“Holy shit!” Ryuk hisses. “That’s good too!”

“See?” L sounds pleased with himself.

“That’s like a totally different flavour too!”

“Want another?” L offers.

“Yeah! Gimme gimme!” Ryuk pleads.

His chewing is obnoxiously loud and squishy.

Light ambles into the lounge, preparing himself for probably the latest chapter in the biggest con of his life. L glances, Ryuk glances, and Light’s not sure who looks more expectant.

“I see you two are getting along swimmingly,” Light snorts.

“I told the detectives we had a late night discussing the case,” L declares, “but I said when you were awake we’d meet to explain our findings to them.”

“Just as we planned last night?” Light supposes.

“Yes,” L nods. “Shall I trust you to see Rem off while I have Yagami and the others assemble?”

“Yeah, sure,” Light agrees. “I’ll need—”

L hands him a piece of paper.

“I’ve already dealt with the notebooks while you were sleeping.” L reveals. “But you only require a fragment for Misa, correct?”

“Exactly,” Light sighs.

“Hehe,” Ryuk cackles, “looks like you’re taking hand outs now, Light?”

Light scoffs.

He’s not going to bother to explain himself to Ryuk. Ryuk just wants to see him blow up. He has more fun if they’re at each other’s throats. This, for now, is novel enough to entertain him but they'll have to deal with Ryuk one day if they're to survive long term. Are there other ways to kill a Shinigami Light wonders? 

Rem will be easier to deal with but Light is almost sad to see her go right now.

“Rem,” Light trails towards her near the window. “About our deal…”

“I stand by what I said,” Rem stands strong. “If your actions threaten Misa’s life, I will kill you. I understand however that this does seem like the best way to keep Misa safe. You’re a clever human, wicked though you may be, so then how do I act to best ensure Misa’s safety in the long run?”

“Take this,” Light offers her the piece of the notebook. “I’ll try to let Misa down gently when she leaves here but she’ll probably be upset and confused. She can’t get her memory back, that will put her at risk, but if she can see you then the two of you can have a life of some sort.”

“What should I tell her?” Rem asks, taking the scrap.

“I wouldn’t tell her the exact truth. The less she knows about the Shinigami and Death Note the better.” Light supposes. “But you could tell her half the truth.”

“What do you mean?”

“Say you’re her guardian angel.” Light suggests. “That you’ve come to protect her through all the new adventures she’s about to have in this next chapter of her life.”

“That’s…” Rem snorts. “That’s a kinder way of putting it than I would expect of you.”

“I’ve used Misa.” Light shrugs. “But despite everything she’s done she’s got an innocent heart. She’ll be better of away from all this and if her happiness assuages you then that’s better for me.”

“Always so practical.” Rem hums. “And yet, last night…”

“Let’s just say I’m glad you saw that and not Ryuk.” Light admits.

“I don’t know if this is going to work out for you, Light Yagami,” Rem warns. “You certainly don’t have a guardian angel watching over _you_ and your sins are likely to curse the rest of your life. When you die…”

“A human who has used the note cannot go to either Heaven or Hell.” Light recites knowingly. “Well, if I’ve doomed myself at least I can enjoy the next however many years I’ve got left.”

“I will keep Misa away from you,” Rem promises. “You’re likely to encounter much more danger and she’s better off without you. That said… I think you made a good decision last night. I hope, however unlikely, that this helps you in some way.”

“Getting sentimental on me Rem?” Light snorts.

“You’re growing on me.” Rem admits. “Now you’re not acting like a complete parasite.”

Light laughs. “You’ve always been so clear about the nature of my true self, Rem. I’m not sure it’ll be so clear to me without you.”

“Well…” Rem shrugs. “That sounds like your problem.”

“Brutal,” Light tuts. “But honest.”

“Someone has to be between you all.” Rem puffs her chin up high.

* * *

The detectives are a problem.

“You might as well say what you’re thinking,” L offers as they head down the elevator to the meeting.

“Honestly,” Light sighs. “It makes most sense to kill the detectives to assure total secrecy. They’re the only ones who have seen your face and they’re the only ones who know the notebook exists.”

“Yes,” L agrees easily. “But they also provide our alibi. They’ve witnesses us fighting Kira tooth and nail. If they die that creates an image problem more than a puzzle problem. Say someone does discover the notebook; if they’re still alive, at the time of that discovery, do we look more or less guilty?” 

“I guess that’s true,” Light folds his arms. “Likewise, if we killed my father we’d probably have to disappear my whole family. If he was dead and I was _missing_ the remaining two would raise too much suspicion.”

“Would you really kill them all?” L asks, expression curious.

“I never said my real self was honourable or compassionate.” Light grumbles, glancing away.

“I never expected it would be,” L admits. “It’s wrong, on a basic level, to think that way about people who raised and love you but…”

“But?” Light glances, surprised.

“I possess a certain ruthlessness.” L confesses. “And I would be lying if I said the way your mind works, the clear-cut function of it, wasn’t fascinating and promising.”

Lights snorts. “Maybe we’re both terrible people?”

“Oh you definitely are.” Ryuk chimes in. “ _Both_ of you.”

Light ignores him.

“It’s surprisingly hard to achieve much by yourself.” L posits. “And finding someone of the same level and style is almost impossible. I wonder how much we’ll be able to achieve with another person beside us who can support our methods and carry out our plans to the logical letter?”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Light traces his lips cautiously, thinking hard. “We need to pull this off first before we can do anything else. But I suppose that’s an invitation to become your investigation partner?”

“We’ll need to get you a codename,” L grins, “but yes.”

“I think K.” Ryuk jokes, snickering at himself.

“You know I don’t dislike the irony of that.” L agrees.

“Huh? Seriously?” Ryuk is taken aback.

“It’ll make people nervous.” L explains, hands in his pockets as he slouches. “People are easier to control when they’re acting out of fear.”

“You know…” Ryuk snorts. “I’m starting to see why you didn’t kill this guy, Light.”

“Show time.” Light warns as they reach the fourth floor.

L shuffles ahead of him into the main nexus where they’ve been conducting the investigation up until this point. All five detectives are waiting for them now, two having re-joined them after the police incident on the bridge with Higuchi.

“S-she’s gone…?” Matsuda is the first to speak-up. “The Shinigami?”

“She’s not here.” L clarifies, taking his seat with his knees tucked up against his chest.

“And you’re not handcuffed,” Souichirou marks, meeting Light’s gaze.

“No,” Light smiles. “And after today I think Misa and I can both go home.”

“Really?” Matsuda lurches up in excitement. “So then--? It’s all okay?”

“Light and I discussed the situation in great detail last night.” L explains.

“I know, logically, I couldn’t be Kira but I wanted to be totally sure before we made a move. I guess part of me was worried I had done something under Kira’s control even if I didn’t remember it?” Light lies fluidly, playing the part of the noble college student.

“Light…” Mogi sympathises visibly. “We could’ve told you you’re innocent. Anyone could see that after reading those rules.”

“I know I just…” Light snorts. “I felt better when Ryuzaki and I went through it all together. Until we did that I couldn’t feel totally safe.”

“And now…?” Souichirou asks hopefully.

“Light and I have concluded that, if there was more than one Kira, that Kira is now powerless without the Death Note.” L declares. “Higuchi is dead, this case will conclude with him.”

Matsuda looks delighted. “So—we did it?”

“What about the notebook?” Souichirou frowns.

“I’m going to find a way to dispose of it.” L assures. “The rules state I can’t physically incinerate it but there are ways of making it inaccessible to human beings.”

“Huh? Like what?” Matsuda blinks.

“Putting it at the bottom of the ocean, launching it into space…” Light lists off. “Ryuzaki is going to find the best option for our purposes.”

“The thing of critical importance is that no one untoward comes looking for the notebook or it’s power ever again.” L instructs. “To that effect I will not be revealing its existence to the international authorities and I would ask you, all of you, to help me keep that secret.”

“That sounds like the only responsible thing to do,” Souichirou agrees readily. “To many powerful people would want something like that to use for war or politics. It’s better in your hands Ryuzaki.”

“Thank you, Chief Yagami,” L nods curtly. “I do have one more favour to ask of you, personally.”

“Hmm?” Souichirou lifts his head.

“Light has proven his exceptional deductive skills on this case.” L continues. “His abilities rival even my own and once Kira is gone crime rates will surge. I don’t know if I can wait for him to graduate college to assist me.”

“What Ryuzaki means, Dad, is that I want to join him working on cases long term.” Light explains. “As a partner, right?”

“Right,” L agrees.

“Well…” Souichirou chuckles, good natured and a little tired. “I admit I’ll miss you terribly around the house, Light, but I can totally understand this decision.”

“You two do make a great team,” Matsuda laugh encouragingly.

“I certainly think so,” L agrees.

“Right, and Ryuzaki will need help quelling all the criminals who’ll come back in force with Kira gone.” Light reinforces. “I want to help with that. Honestly, I can’t imagine myself doing anything else after today.”

“Oh but—” Matsuda backtracks. “I guess that means this is goodbye to Misa-Misa, hey Light?”

“I never really returned her feelings,” Light shrugs. “She’s a wonderful woman but she deserves someone who can devote their full attention to her. She’s got her whole life ahead of her now she’s freed from suspicion. It would be wrong to string her along when I can’t love her as much as she deserves.”

“That is true…” Matsuda nods. “I just think she’ll be disappointed but… well, you’re right of course.”

“I think this will be the last meeting of our task force.” L warns. “Thank you all, it’s been an honour working with you and I couldn’t have cracked this case without your diligent efforts.”

The detectives look so touched.

So hopelessly ignorant.

Light shares a glance with L, just out of the corner of his eye.

What’s starting here…?

How dangerous is it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: a discussion on loose ends and smut~


	8. Chapter 8

Light has to talk to his mother, his sister…

He has to sort out his things.

He’s moving out after all to become a high flying international detective alongside L.

At least that’s the story. Honestly, they’re burying their sins while people across the world publicly celebrate and privately mourn the loss of a Kira they all secretly agreed with. It’s wild on the streets. Crime is already starting again in earnest. Just the night after the announcement alone there are over two thousand homicides globally.

That’s a lot of cases for Light and L to solve.

“Looks like you’ve paid your own wages for the next ten years, huh?” Ryuk laughs as the TV plays in the background of Light’s childhood room while he packs a few of his things.

He won’t need most of this.

He doesn’t really have sentimental items and everything essential they can purchase in excess. This is just a show to create the right impression to his parents. He’ll probably dump half this stuff before getting on the plane with L tomorrow.

Light collapses on his childhood bed.

“You’ll snap.” Ryuk declares.

“Oh?” Light holds his hand up to his face, looking to see if the blood is visible on his fingers.

“Guy like you? It’s only a matter of time before you slip up.”

“You might be right,” Light sighs, letting his hand slump beside his head on the pillow.

“So level with me,” Ryuk climbs on the desk. “Did you really catch feelings or is this part of a plan?”

“Guess you’ll just have to find out,” Light deflects, rolling over.

Light doesn’t sleep very well. He wants to say its all doubt, waiting to flee the country and extract himself from the threat of lethal injection, but honestly some part of him feels unsettled after months of falling asleep listening to L typing beside him.

In the morning his mother is tearful at breakfast, but his father is trying to stay calm and dispassionate about the whole thing. Sayu wants all the details. Is Light going to keep seeing Misa? Is he going to be a secret agent? What’s the pay going to be like? Will he be back for Christmas? Light doesn’t know some of that exactly and he’s a little too tired to do much more than divert her lazily.

He feels human again only when Watari comes to pick him up from the house.

“Do you need help with your luggage, Light?” Watari supposes.

“No, it’s alright,” Light promises. “Please take it easy. I’ve got this.”

In the car Light sags back in the seat. He knows he has to maintain some level of the illusion for Watari but the pressure is less intense than with his mother and sister. Watari knows some of the details at least.

“L hasn’t told me everything,” Watari speaks up calmly as they drive. “I don’t suspect he ever will. That’s fine with me. He’s a grown man and he’s allowed to have secrets. Honestly, you’re both smarter than I am, and I don’t mind that. I just want to help. So please understand that when I say all I need to know is that Kira is no longer a threat.”

Light takes a slow, deep, breath.

This was basically inevitable.

“I probably have less I’m willing to share than L,” he admits. “But I can assure you, as I’m sure L has, that Kira is no longer an issue. L and I have seen to it.”

“I’m glad to hear you say it,” Watari smiles audibly. “And if L trusts you then I do so completely. Please know you can always lean on me for support. I’m excited to see you and L reach your full potential together.”

“Even if it’s not pretty? Or noble?” Light murmurs.

“I come from a dirty world,” Watari replies. “Truly majestic things are never clean. Engineering marvels require men to get dirty. Intellects on the scale we’re discussing here don’t work in moral absolutes either. I raised L to direct himself towards the greater good and I believe you share that conviction. Whatever actions you take, however unfortunate in the moment, I trust they’ll lead to a net positive overall.”

“Hmm…” Light ruminates on that. He’s not sure he’d be so optimistic himself but he’s glad of Watari’s certainty so long as it services them and their goals.

That said…

Light does want to make a positive impact on the world.

The Death Note, the murders, it was all in service of a better reality. Maybe he just got too swept up in not getting caught? So much so he lost focus on the central goal of improving humanity. Maybe L can centre him? They seem to balance each other.

Or worse-case scenario, he corrupts L beyond repair.

“Did you really raise L?” Light asks cautiously, mind churning as he watches the streets of his childhood suburb peel away around them.

“I did.” Watari smiles into the rear-view. “I’m sure he’ll tell you more himself, but the simple version is that I accumulated a lot of funds as an inventor and I set about providing homes for gifted but poor children. I wanted good lives for them. L is the greatest achievement of that work but not the only one.”

“Are those orphanages, those organizations, still operating?”

“Yes, we have quite a large extended family.” Watari answers. “If you like I’m sure L would introduce you to them sometime.”

“I hope so,” Light sighs, puffing himself up for the pleasantries that are an essential part of being human. “I’d like to meet them.”

Watari nods.

“Thank you for welcoming me, Watari. I know L thinks highly of you.”

“You’ve certainly proven yourself more than capable.” Watari replies. “I suspect on some level you might feel more at home with us than anywhere else you’ve been previously.

“Big fish, small pond, that sort of thing?” Light snorts.

“Exactly.” Watari asserts.

* * *

They’ve cleared out the HQ of all the valuables. The building is being sold off to recoup funds for their pockets. They leave the country on a private plane and Light doesn’t really get the specifics of where they’re going until he’s already on board.

“England, right?” Light voices his suspicions as they settle.

“Yes,” L nods. “I want to touch base with my family before we commence new operations.”

“With Kira sorted it makes sense to secure defences before the next fight.” Light agrees. “Will I be accompanying you?”

“Do you want to?” L wonders.

“I would like to,” Light nods.

“Purely for strategic reasons I’d bet.”

“Watari filled in some gaps but I can make some assumptions of my own.” Light leans forward to encroach on L’s space conspiratorially. “You have successors, don’t you?”

“They’re children right now and they haven’t approached my level yet.” L reveals. “But there are two current candidates for consideration who might one day achieve the necessary intellect.”

“So if anyone can unravel us, it’s them.” Light concludes.

“Right,” L replies. “Before we continue, I need your opinion on how much of a risk they pose to our long-term survival. I don’t want to hurt them, but I won’t lose a fight either.”

“It all depends, I suppose…” Light tuts, running his finger over his lips thoughtfully. “They could be useful allies, long term, if they’re gifted enough to be considered as your successors, but if they reveal our secret…”

“He who acts first always wins.” L reiterates firmly.

“Always,” Light agrees. “But it’s hard for me to say how dangerous they are until I meet them.”

“I assumed as much. I haven’t seen them myself for almost nine months.” L reveals. “And children’s minds develop quickly so they could be at very different places right now.”

“Should be exciting at least,” Light chuckles.

L grins. “After this we can start a new case. I’ve already received over a dozen requests for my assistance.”

“Anything look interesting?” Light shuffles a little closer.

“Well…” L lifts the lid on his laptop, clicking through files. “I reviewed them last night. Ten are obvious, four are obvious but difficult to prove, and three I can’t solve from the raw data alone.”

“So those three.”

“Of course.” L grins. “Unless you have a different system?”

“Maybe a balanced approach?” Light suggests.

“Oh?”

“One for us, for fun,” Light promises, “and then one which will provide the biggest net positive to civilians.”

“I suppose that’s fair, as much as I hate tedium I do owe people a little penance right now,” L taps his chin. “How about this? I’ll work on whichever charity case you decide but the fun case you choose has to be something we can’t solve in twenty-four hours.”

“Send me the files?” Light smirks, getting up to get his laptop out of his carry-on luggage.

Light feels the weight shifting off his shoulders as they fly away from his crime scene.

“I’m not convinced this new life gimmick will last,” Ryuk notes. “But I like planes.”

Light tries to ignore him and focus on case files.

There’s a whole world out there, interesting cases to solve and people he can help without bringing down the executioner’s sword on their heads.

They work, fly, in a comfortable silence for a long time. Light is surprised by how much easier it is to sleep on the plane with the sound of L typing in his ear over the hum of the engines.

When he wakes, getting changed for landing, L is rifling through his bag. 

“Before we land,” L draws his attention holding out a handful of passports, “who do you want to be?”

“Hmm?” Light takes the gaggle of very official looking documents.

Fake passports.

“You can be Light Yagami, Eraldo Coil or Albert Deneuve.” L explains, smirk mischievous. “Just warn me who you pick so I can pick someone else.”

Light laughs, inspecting his photos and the different nationalities listed.

“So we’re sharing your personas now?”

“Except for L,” He replies. “I still think you should be K.”

“I like K.” Light snickers. “Today I think I’ll be Deneuve.”

“I’ll take Coil then.” L draws out his own pile to sort through.

“Do you have a real one in that pile too?” Light wonders.

“Yes, here.” L surrenders it without any drama or theatrics.

Light hesitates, gut backflipping.

L waggles the passport at him.

Light snatches it, fingers shaking.

“Don’t go telling anyone, please.” L instructs. “My real name, that is.”

Light laughs weakly.

Ryuk crowds over his shoulder. “How am I supposed to say that?”

“I was expecting something…” Light fumbles for the right word.

“Less feminine?” L supplies.

“I think it’s handsome.” Light counters, honest.

“It’s traditional.” L shrugs good humouredly. “I’m glad you like it. Our secret, yes?”

“Our secret.” Light closes the passport tightly, handing it back.

“You know…” Ryuk hesitates audibly behind them. “You’re just going to some hotel tonight, right?”

“Yeah, why?” Light glances.

“I might take off for a while.” Ryuk scratches at himself awkwardly. “I don’t think you need me for whatever witchcraft you’re about to pull.”

“What’s _that_ supposed to mean?” Light frowns.

“He doesn’t want to watch us have sex.” L supplies aptly.

Light freezes.

Light’s expression cracks, blooming into a wicked smirk.

“What’s wrong Ryuk?” He taunts. “No stomach for it?”

“Humans doing that tangled rutting stuff is gross. You’re so pink and sticky looking generally.” Ryuk fusses. “I don’t want to see _you_ like that. You’re already weird enough, you feral freak.”

Light snorts. “Coward.”

“You want an audience?” L raises one brow sceptically.

“I’m not afraid of one.” Light puffs his chin up.

L looks like he wants to say something and not something insulting either.

But then—

“ _Sirs please fasten your seat belts_.” The pilot chimes. “ _We’re about to prepare for landing._ ”

“Hold that thought.” L instructs.

“Will do.” Light smirks, sinking down into his seat.

“Fascinating.” L grins at him, whole body mischievous.

“You two are so fucked up.” Ryuk groans, mortified.

“Says the death goblin.” Light fastens his seatbelt.

“What the fuck’s a goblin?” Ryuk demands.

“So goblins aren’t real then?” L concludes from Ryuk’s confusion.

“What the fuck is a goblin?” Ryuk repeats, bamboozled.

* * *

The London penthouse at their five-star hotel is… Well, when you’ve seen one luxury suite you’ve pretty much seen them all honestly. Light has more pressing concerns than the drapes or the plasma TV.

It takes them a moment to arrange the bags. There’s Light’s whole life for one thing but also a lot of equipment that’s too valuable and laden with priceless information to just leave strewn around or shuffled through the postal system.

“The Death Notes,” Light glances, “are they both still in Japan?”

“They’re both secure and I can access them from almost anywhere in the world at short notice.” L replies without detail. “Their exact locations are irrelevant. What matters is that they’re safe.”

Light hums, digesting that.

With L’s resources his notebooks could be anywhere in the world right now.

“It’s hard for me to leave so much in another person’s hands,” Light admits. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful or sceptical. It’s rooted in a very human paranoia.”

“I understand,” L promises. “You have my name now, that should be some reassurance as I’m sure you’ve got at least one piece of the Death Note hidden somewhere, right?”

“Right,” Light confesses.

“I promised to protect your secret, your life,” L scratches one ankle with the heel of the opposite foot, obviously glad to be barefoot again in the hotel suite. “You’re going to have to have faith in me.”

“I’d be a lot more worried if it was anyone else,” Light argues, “and it’s not really you I’m worried about at all. It’s third parties in the equation of transporting or securing the notebooks.”

“Good try,” L snorts, “but I’m not going to fall for such an obvious trap.”

Light sighs, eyes scrapping the ceiling. “Saw through me huh?”

“If you know how many people are involved in hiding the books you’ll know more about their likely hiding spots.” L tuts. “You’ll have to do better than that, Light.”

Light laughs weakly. “Oh well, never mind that now, we’ve got this hotel room to ourselves and no active cases. I think that’ll be a rare treat, don’t you?”

“You didn’t mind the idea of an audience earlier,” L grins.

“I still don’t,” Light admits, “but I’d rather be the only project on your mind tonight.”

“I’m in no rush, for the record,” L promises slinking close enough to brush up against Light’s side.

“No, but I’m newly uncomplicated and resolved,” Light smirks, “so I’m going to need to see you naked _immediately_.”

“Sex without guilt, always the best,” L snickers. “But do you even know what you’re doing college kid?”

Light snorts across his shoulder as L presses into his space, unwavering under the new weight and those always intense eyes.

“I’m well educated in a diverse range of fields.”

“I don’t remember the classmates interviewed outing you as the school slut,” L hums, “and if I recall you threw us off with fake straight porn.”

“I assumed my father was watching those bugs,” Light shrugs. “Besides, have you seen high school guys recently? They’re trash. At least girls have personal hygiene.”

“So preference is flexible.” L concludes.

“It’s all about that juicy brain,” Light jokes tartly.

“But that still doesn’t speak to any practical experience,” L rubs his thumbnail across his bottom lip, very close to Light’s ear now he’s slouching less in the moment. Thrill of the hunt and all that maybe?

“Well…” Light makes a show of wavering for theatrical effect. “How hard could it be? Really?”

“Pretty hard.” L smirks.

Light rolls his eyes, grunting; “ _Lame._ ”

“Well then—” L moves fast.

Light yelps.

How’d he do that so fast?

Light finds his head spinning, re-orientating as he’s bounced on L’s shoulder.

“I guess I’ll just have to try harder to be cool.” L sighs flippantly.

Light laughs, a kind of warmth seeping through his gut.

Is this relief?

This feels new, better.

He’s surprised by how free he feels now the weight is gone between them. It ripples through him, almost tangible, and the excitement that follows the wave is electric.

This is okay.

He doesn’t need to feel guilty about this.

Names exchanged, secrets buried in a joint vault…

Partners in law and order, or is crime?

L throws him on the bed and Light gets on one elbow only long enough to beckon and then drag L down when he catches a scrap of his shirt. L surges over the top of him and Light drags him down, down, down….

Hot mouth, thin lips, wet tongue—

Light’s fingers curl in his hair, too tight? L doesn’t seem to care given how he’s tasting him like that, half teeth, all slick. They arch into each other, grabbing, desperate enough to seem unhinged to an outside observer.

Light weasels his hands back under L’s shirt.

Strong back, shifting muscle, broad shoulders—

L is kissing into the tenderest part of his neck again and—

“Ah—” Light’s breath catches. “Hey—” He thumps L between the shoulders. “ _No hickeys_.”

“Why not?” L’s smirk is audible as he disconnects his mouth, practically with a slurp of teeth and tongue.

“I—Well—” Light hesitates.

“Hickeys then.” L exploits the second of weakness and—

“Ah fuck…” Light exhales, nails curling into his shoulder blades.

It always felt strange to let some girl he barely knew get so possessive, slobbering over him, but this? This is different. He could probably list all the ways if you gave him an hour and a white board to map it.

Light shifts, elongating his neck, and L appreciates every newly exposed millimetre of skin.

Definitely the turtleneck tomorrow.

L’s lucky it’s cold here in the UK.

Light smooths one hand down L’s spine, holding him close, soaking up the tension of him sucking and biting at his neck for another moment. It’s nice, for once, to let himself get distracted. There’s no rush, right?

Then again, he hardly wants to roll over and play nice either.

Light drags L’s shirt up his back to bunch under his armpits and L sits back only as long as it takes to toss his shirt off and descend back down like a feral dog. Light tries to—

“ _Oh_ —”

Right, ears are sensitive too. 

God, teeth feel good against the curve of the shell.

Light drags his nails up L’s spine.

 _Focus_ , he orders himself, _focus_.

“Come back here and bite my lip instead,” Light tempts.

L doesn’t need much more encouragement than that.

Light stokes his cheekbone, kissing up into him hotly.

His, all his.

As if he’d share this.

L better not have any casual ideas.

Light shifts, weight in his thighs, and flips them.

L twists but Light grasps his hands and pins them by his head quickly.

They never stop kissing.

“My turn,” Light tuts, kissing the bridge of L’s nose.

“Show some skin, rookie,” L slurs in a delightfully put-on accent.

Light scoffs and, holding his wrists, kisses down his clavicle.

He’s got such a masculine chest, another delightful newness for Light to explore.

Fuck he smells good, how does this gremlin who perpetually wears the same thing smell good?

 _Focus_ , he hisses inside his brain. 

Light kisses down and—

“Hn—” L inhales sharply, before he can suppress the sound.

Light’s lips barely grazed his nipple.

Light smirks, kissing his chest. Teasing at first and then just with a little teeth as the bud hardens under his attention. L stiffens, breath short, and Light doesn’t doubt the sincerity of his distraction given how he arches up into every kiss and hisses at every dig of Light’s teeth.

Light kisses, tongue curling just so and sucks—

“ _Fuck_ ,” L snaps.

It’s not a bad sound.

“Okay, so you’re a quick study— _Ah_ —”

Light doesn’t stop.

L’s legs curl like a vice around his middle and squeeze hard.

“Shirt off. Now.” L orders, or is that pleading voice?

Light laughs and sits back, smug now. He throws his shirt over his head but he hardly seems to be moving fast enough for L who only uses his newly freed limbs to flip them back the other way with his curled legs.

They’re as bad as each other.

Light is grinning wide and smug and excited as L descends upon him in another frenzy. Tongue in the dip of his navel, L’s fingers grabbing and yanking at his pants—

“What was that about not rushing?” Light jokes.

“Shut up.” L dismisses.

“Aw sweetheart, are you getting flustered?” Light teases, purring.

L glances to his face, just for a second, just long enough to soak up Light’s smirk and then—

Light really has to stop letting L manhandle him like this!

He’s a lot stronger than he looks though.

All at one Light’s on his stomach, pinned on the sheets, L pressed against his back, their legs tangled, Light’s pants only halfway down his hips…

Light catches his breath, or tries to, as L holds down the wrist with any traction on the bed and shifts his other hand between them.

“You’re so aggress—“

Light falters mid taunt as L yanks his pants and underwear down over the curve of his ass and grinds both their hips down into the bed. He can feel just the outline of L against him but his own cock rubs against the sheets and something about being held down—

Light takes a stuttering inhale, legs tensing.

“You’re insufferable,” L grumbles, biting the back of his neck hard.

Light’s mouth opens, hips working, but he can’t quite form a coherent sound let alone a comeback.

“If this is capable of shutting off your brain for even ten minutes,” L grinds against him, “I might just never leave the bed.”

Okay, so he’s pinned and breathless and too hard to think.

But this is _definitely_ the best decision of his life.

Light buries his face in the sheets, mortified by his own lack of a comeback, and for just a moment soaks up the feeling of L on-top of him moving their bodies together.

L’s hand moves between them again and, digging his nails into the sheets, Light groans loudly with half a pillow stuffed under his face.

L’s bare cock slides against him, heavy and leaking between his legs, rubbing between his cheeks.

What reason could he possibly have for killing this man?

New plan: L sex slave.

L moans into Light’s hair, heavy slotted against his back but in a comforting, satisfying, way.

Light’s learning he’s got more kinks than he thought.

It doesn’t matter. Not right now. He can deal with his expanded sexual horizons later. He needs to get fucked like— Yes, immediately. Right now.

“Are you stalling because you’re stupid or you’re lazy?” Light pants sharply.

L growls.

Yep, got him.

Light is riding a wave of endorphins.

L yanks his hips up, practically dragging him onto his knees and Light isn’t sure what’s happening for a moment. Like he can make an educated guess but then—

Cold, slick—

Light gasps.

 _Fuck, fuck_ —

That is the strangest, sickest, feeling.

But weird things are oddly good, including L’s fingers sinking into his ass.

Again, he’s learning a lot tonight.

Light tries to breathe. Was that a hiccup or a moan?

“Anything smart to say?” L taunts.

His fingers curl and Light is pretty sure his eyes cross in his skull, lips parted.

“ _Fuck_ …” he pants.

“Glad to hear it,” L snorts.

“You—” Light moans—“you need an invitation or a pay cheque to get to work back there—? _Aah_ —”

Yeah, his eyes definitely crossed that time.

L shouldn’t be this easy to rile.

And it shouldn’t be this much _fun_ to rile him.

Light buries his face in this sheets, nails practically ripping those thousand thread count fancies as L pushes into him. Thick, hot, _full_ —

L moans like a wounded animal.

Light slides one hand between his legs, steadying his weight between his knees and his remaining elbow and starts to stroke. All that fullness inside him, his cock in his hand…

They might never get anything done again. 

“ _Move_.” Light pleads, growling.

L’s hands dig into his hips and—

Good to know L won’t go easy on him.

That’s a firm, gut-splitting, pace that thumps deep into Light and makes him forget his name.

He pants, moaning, voice catching with every slap of their hips.

His hand is shaking on his cock.

They move together with a frantic understanding, breathless and raw. Light feels so sharp on a single thought. All he cares about right now is the slide of L bottoming out inside him. That thickest part of his cock forcing it’s way _inside_ …

 _Breathe, breathe_ —

L bites his fucking neck again and—

“Fuck!” Light twists under him, and shatters into a million brainless pieces.

Does L cum too?

He must but Light hardly notices in the thirty second blackout that rips through his body.

He collapses onto the sheets and L follows him down, slumping against his back, arms around him, half inside him still…

God, everything is slick.

That’s vaguely gross but also oddly satisfying…?

Light pants, hair sticking to his sweaty forehead.

L catches his breath against his neck, nose buried in his hair.

“Don’t ever change.” Light orders, weak.

“Don’t ever leave.” L tucks against his back, voice equally sincere.

“Thank you,” Light manages between all the tangled wires in his brain, “for everything.”


	9. Chapter 9

They ditch the rest of their clothes as they drift between sleep and consciousness across the next several hours. L spends most of the night wrapped around him, protective, needy almost and the pace of Light’s breathing seems to soothe him instinctively.

Light doesn’t want to move, not ever.

But he has to at some point.

Today they head into the London countryside to Wammy House; home to fifty of Europe’s most gifted children.

Light’s aching, just a little, but he kind of likes the war wounds. Even the ugly purple hickeys hidden under his turtleneck. Though he won’t admit as much to L, not easily, he’ll have to work for a confession that serious.

In the car with Watari they start preparing the specifics.

“Watari, from now on we’ll refer to Light as K in mixed company.” L announces.

“It only makes sense to obscure his identity,” Watari nods along agreeably.

“Wammy House is overseen by Rodger while Watari is with me,” L informs Light in the next motion. “He’s been instructed to clear the schedule so the boys can spend time with us today.”

“How old are they? Names?” Light crosses his legs primly in the back seat.

“Nate River, alias Near, age thirteen.” L details. “And Mihael Keehl, alias Mello, age fourteen.”

“Sayu’s age then.” Light concludes. That gives him some information about emotional development but these kids are going to be a lot smarter than Sayu. He’ll need to be careful. “What’s their program like?”

“We allow the children to explore whatever interests them and we provide them access to experts and tutors from around the world as those interests develop.” Watari answers.

“Yes, but it’s been explained to Near and Mello that if they want to succeed me they need to cultivate the skills of a great detective first and foremost.”

“Hm,” Light digests that, “and their personalities?”

“Near has trouble expressing his emotions and managing interpersonal relationships but his logic and reasoning skills are exceptional.” L answers. “Mello is better at cultivating people to follow his desires but he’s also more likely to be blindsided by his own feelings in a crisis or moment of frustration.”

“So Near will never be able to organize a loyal team of subordinates and Mello has to curb his outbursts or he’ll be outwitted too easily?” Light concludes.

“Those are their key issues, yes.” L nods, knees tucked against his chest.

“Has Rodger provided any updates during the Kira case?” Light wonders.

“Nothing substantial has changed.” Watari answers.

“How to play this…” L ruminates.

“Might have to go with the flow of the conversation.” Light sighs. “It’s hard to say how they’ll respond to me until they meet me and that impacts our plans significantly. Will they be suspicious? Will they be threatened? I can’t say yet.”

“It should be clear to Near at least,” L murmurs. “He’ll understand your position is not a direct threat to his future but Mello might feel compromised. Likewise however Mello might take to you more readily than Near. Your approaches and style might be more complimentary to Mello’s personality than mine.”

“I guess we’ll see.” Light rues.

“Going to kill a couple of kids, huh?” Ryuk manifests suddenly, joining Watari in the empty passenger seat in the front of the car. He’s snickering already.

Light ignores him with Watari present.

But it is still an option, there’s no escaping that.

If these children compromise their chances of survival Light’s pretty sure he could make a case for their destruction one way or another. L might not want to kill them but there are a million ways to cripple gifted teenagers without biological parents.

Light will act his way through his one but, internally, his feelings are clear and ruthless.

He will crush these kids if he has to.

* * *

Wammy House is a beautiful institution and the children they pass as they weave into the inner sanctum all seem happy if not always sociable. Light spies a girl who looks too young for the thousand piece puzzle she is happily putting together, a boy slouching in a window seat playing the most gorgeous violin solo Light’s ever heard…

Interesting.

They could farm a lot of useful people from this place. Especially if only a few of them reach the same intellectual level as L and Light.

Rodger greets them at an inner sitting room and while he’s obviously a kindly man he lacks the razor wit and class of Watari, let alone L. He facilitates others to achieve. He’s not much of an exception himself Light deduces instantly.

Rodger gets them comfortable in the suite with a British tea service and pastries and while he and Watari leave to discuss the practical running and maintenance of the orphanage Rodger sends for Near and Mello to join them.

Mello is the first one in, Light knows him instantly by his enthusiasm.

“L you’re back--!” His celebratory tone trails off into confusion. “Who…?”

“Good to see you, Mello,” L greets. “Come have tea.”

Near slinks in more like a ghost. He’s a child who looks better stationary. His motions seem awkward and uncomfortable. Like he’s still coming to terms with his growing body.

“Near,” L grins warmly.

“Hello,” Near fumbles with a distractingly simple plastic robot as he settles in front of them. He seems happy, in his own reserved way.

Why the toy? Light watches his hands move across it, instinctively, and—

Fidget toy.

More for distraction than focus.

Interesting.

“It’s good to see you both.” L tells them. “I can’t stay long but I wanted to spend some time together before leaving for my next case.”

“You caught Kira,” Mello supposes, obviously proud.

“Both of them?” Near asks, twirling a strand of hair.

“Both?” L pushes him to elaborate.

“The original Kira and the most recent Kira,” Near answers.

“I guess also the one who attacked Sakura TV too,” Mello adds.

Smart kids.

“They’ve all been dealt with and the killings will stop now.” L assures the teenagers.

“Are they imprisoned?” Near wonders.

“Prison sentences and public executions weren’t appropriate for those of them who did survive the investigation.” L replies without leaving room for debate.

The children don’t try and argue with him.

Light can feel in the way they look at L that these kids idolize him.

He’s their gold standard, their role model.

“Near, Mello,” L gestures with one hand lazily as he stacks sugar in his tea with the other. “This is my new partner K. He’ll be assisting me on all investigations from now on.”

“Nice to meet you,” Near nods curtly.

“And you,” Light smiles warmly.

“Wait—but—” Mello panics visibly. “What about _us?_ ”

“This won’t affect you.” L promises. “I intend to live for a long time yet but even if I don’t K is not going to succeed me. He’s got his own reputation. He doesn’t need to assume my mantle.”

Mello’s shoulders fall, temporarily assuaged.

“I hope we can all be good friends,” L tempts. “K is my intellectual equal and I wanted him to meet you two so he can help me in securing the best possible outcomes for you both.”

Mello’s eyes dart, half nervous, but Near stays steady and when their eyes meet that seems to focus Mello.

“Let’s just enjoy our time together.” Light offers. “What do you two want to do today?”

“Can we play a game?” Near asks hopefully.

“A--? Oh yeah!” Mello bounces back towards enthusiasm. “You do it best L! Please?”

“Okay, sure,” L pick sup his tea, settling in the armchair. “Everyone sit down.”

Light is settled in the centre of the couch, pointedly so, and, shy but assured of their own safety, Mello and Near take their seats on either side of him. Light settles, relaxing his posture, but both children maintain a paper-thin film of distance between themselves and him. They’re still sussing him out.

“Alright,” L starts once the boys are settled, “a woman has been found murdered by cleaning staff at a downtown Los Angles hotel. What do we ask for first?”

Is this the kind of games they always play?

Light supposes if he was training up two master detectives he’d do this too. Besides, the boys both seem desperately excited to play with their idol. They likely want to impress.

“Coroner’s report on the body,” Mello answers.

“Forensics on the room.” Near counters, ready with his own response.

“Let’s do both.” L decides.

Is L pulling from his own case knowledge, Light wonders?

“Body is one Alice Rodgers, age twenty-one. She has been stabbed thirty-seven times mostly concentrated around the face and neck, almost decapitating her. There are signs of a struggle and there is genetic material from the attacker under the fingernails. However, the fibres do not match any persons known to police.” L tells them.

Crime of passion, Light deduces.

“As for the room,” L continues. “Alice was staying in a standard one bed hotel suite. There is evidence of a struggle in the main body of the room but the body was found dumped in the tub in the bathroom. The sink was used, likely by the killer attempting to clean off, as blood was found down the drain too. Alice’s valuables are seemingly untouched and amongst her possessions are several stuffed toys and a children’s book. Her wallet, phone and computer are accounted for.”

Light snorts.

“Hmm?” L supposes.

“Nothing,” Light deflects. 

What’s the best way to play this? Should he say something?

“Go on K, if you’ve got a lead you should share with your fellow detectives,” L urges.

The children look to him expectantly.

Alright then…

“Question for the morgue,” Light counters. “Is there any evidence from the coroner’s report that Alice was ever pregnant?”

“Yes.” L smirks.

“I don’t understand,” Mello admits.

“Older boyfriend, likely with anger and maybe substance issues, gets her pregnant. They have the baby but at some point she works up the nerve to flee.” Light elaborates. “Boyfriend tracks her down to the hotel, concerned lobby staff probably mistake him for a family member and tell him which room she’s staying in. Boyfriend slaughters her in a possessive fit, cleans off, gathers up the baby’s things and leaves with the child.”

“Huh?” Mello shifts up onto his knees. “Where’d you--? How--?”

“Is that right?” Near wonders curiously, looking to L.

“If you’re going to play, K, maybe I need more difficult examples.” L snorts, confirming without really having to say.

“How did you…?” Mello is mystified.

Near is looking at Light with a newfound interest.

“You don’t kill someone that aggressively if you don’t know them,” Light explains to Mello. “It’s a crime laden with passion. Nothing of value is taken, that checks out with our theory, but she’s carrying children’s items. Those could be sentimental but a twenty-one year old woman doesn’t carry quite so many sentimental items unless they have a practical application, like soothing a child, or she’s fleeing a permanent residence she doesn’t intend to return to.”

“Huh…” Mello digests. “That makes sense, but you pulled so much from not a lot. Did you really know that all at once?”

“I guessed,” Light admits. “But it’s an educated guess. Humans are predictable in a lot of ways. There are general motivators you can count on most people to possess. Once you know enough about common dynamics and tropes you can piece together a lot of a story from seemingly random facts. I presented that story because it’s the most streamline, efficient, way to tie together all the data into a logical theory. I probably got some details wrong but, either way, it catches the killer.”

“Right,” L nods. “K didn’t get everything right, but he would’ve caught the culprit in no time and the truth can be simplified to what he presented very easily. You don’t need to get everything correct you just need to focus on a trail to start hunting that’s most likely to give you results.”

“Leads go stale, people move…” Light nods. “We have to move quickly and that often means making some logical assumptions. The puzzle will give you all the clues you need ultimately but if you’re creative and well educated on people, criminals, you can cut down the search time significantly.”

“Wow…” Mello slumps back down but this time he’s slouched against Light, leaning into him, eyes big and appreciative. “You _are_ smart!”

“Can you do one, K?” Near asks, still warming up.

“Why don’t we try a hypothetical instead of a dissection?” Light offers.

“What do you mean?” Near questions, head tilting with new interest.

“Well let’s pretend, just for a minute, that you’re a criminal.” Light presents. “We can work backwards in that way instead.”

The boys are hanging off every word suddenly, eager for something to dig their little fingers into.

“You’re a drug dealer,” Light opens, “and a college student owes you a lot of money for your products. You intend to rough him up, threaten him, at his apartment but he becomes more aggressive than you were anticipating and in the scuffle you shot him with your gun. How are you going to get away with it?”

The boys share a glance.

“You can work together,” Light encourages.

“Should we try and dump the body?” Mello supposes to Near.

“If he’s a college student and he doesn’t have a roommate he’s likely living away from home.” Near supplies thoughtfully. “If we leave the body and lock up it might be weeks before anyone finds his remains and that will be easier than trying to get out, unseen, with the corpse. Even if we could, where would we put it?”

“Right,” Mello nods. “So we leave the body in the complex.”

“We should deal with evidence.” Near ponders, gears turning in his little brain. “The gun, any trace forensics we’ve left in the apartment, our bloodied clothes…”

“Well, first problem,” Light interjects gently. “You’ve going to need to dump your clothes and murder weapon at a second location, away from both you and your victim. Likewise you’re a drug dealer not a forensic tech and your victim only has basic cleaning equipment and products in his apartment.”

“Does he have bleach?” Mello asks.

“Yes.” Light answers.

“Well that’ll render most forensics useless,” Mello shrugs, “shows someone covered their tracks but without details on what we’re covering it all amounts to a dead end for detectives.”

L settles back, watching them with a visible contentment, and Light has to admit it is fascinating to watch these frantic little brains unravel and detail elaborate schemes. Light barely knows these kids but they’re whip smart and that’s enough to make Light like them instinctively. They do pose a threat, a serious threat, but there might be an effortless solution.

Light readjusts, arms over the back of the couch while the boys talk, suppling pointers and consideration every so often. Mello leans his whole weight in Light’s side and, as they talk, Near slouches down to put his elbow on Light’s thigh with his chin in his hand. Just like they’re comfortable with L they start, ever so slowly, to build a repour with Light. They don’t necessarily trust him yet but that’s fine, that can come later. What matters is that he’s someone they come to respect and look up to.

Instantly Light knows what to do with them.

They might, one day, determine that K is Kira.

But it will be very, very, difficult to care or carry out justice if K has become a part of their family. If Mello and Near know Light as someone who brings them Christmas presents and solves cases with them. Someone who takes their late-night phone calls and celebrates their achievements. Then they won’t care he’s Kira, even if they do figure it out, and in the end they’ll help hide his secret even after his death.

No one needs to die today.

* * *

The boys spend hours with them. From the morning until late in the evening. They’re supplied with food by the staff but Near and Mello are obviously keen to hold every precious second they have with L and they’re so obviously delighted to be challenged in new and mentally stimulating ways that they don’t seem to want to stop playing games and talking hypotheticals even as it gets later and later.

Mello has absolutely warmed up.

Light’s first cruel joke caught something in Mello and the teenager has been radiating in that delight ever since. He seems to want to make Light smirk and snicker too. He’s flopped against Light and Light lets an arm sit around the adolescent very easily, casually.

Near is slower, more awkward, but he too is warming up.

He tends to alter between L and Light, fidgeting across the room, desperate for L’s focus but when he slumps his head on Light’s thigh in some deep contemplation Light starts playing with his hair.

That was two hours ago.

Near hasn’t moved since.

Light scratches his scalp between his hair, hand gentle.

Intelligent or not, they’re both still children, and children need to feel…

They want to feel coddled in some ways, that’s only natural. Mello and Near could never hold a conversation with Sayu for longer than a few moments but their emotional cues are equally simple and transparent. They want L’s approval, Light’s approval, their physical affection…

L makes room for them too, let’s them get close, but Light is more open to such things and they pick up on that instinctively.

“It’s getting late for you two,” L rues as he finishes his fifth cup of tea.

It’s almost midnight and they have to drive back to the hotel.

“Just a little longer?” Mello asks, hopeful.

“We’ve got work to do,” L answers, “but I’ll be back to visit again after my next case.”

“Is K going to come too?” Near asks, head tucked in Light’s lap.

“If you’ll have me,” Light assures, fingers circling behind Near’s ear.

“You should come back,” Mello glances back to Light, slouched against him. “You’re loads of fun.”

“And you two are even smarter than I thought you’d be,” Light laughs fondly. “You must be proud of them L.”

L hesitates.

But the children perk.

Light knows this is a cruel game, but it serves a purpose.

These kids are desperate for L’s approval.

“I am,” L murmurs a touch awkwardly, “I’m very proud of them.”

Mello’s beam is like a physical force. Kid is going to be floating for hours.

Near’s hand tightens on Light’s knee.

It’s cruel, but it helps Light.

These kids want L to approve of them.

If Light can facilitate that approval for them, they’ll like Light all the more. It’s a wicked shortcut to their little hearts.

In the car on the way back to the hotel, driving away from Wammy House, L looks conflicted for a split second. Like someone is weighing on him. Light’s not surprised. Those children trust him, adore him, and its hard to kill something helpless that trusts you.

“What do you think?” L murmurs quietly.

“Well its not just my decision,” Light offers gently. “We’re a team, right?”

That seems to reassure L and he smiles softly. “We are.”

Ryuk snickers at them, mocking.

Regardless, it doesn’t matter if Ryuk thinks he’s sincere. What matters is if L believes him.

“They liked you.” L supposes. “I think they took quite a shine to you really.”

“And I think we have a long, happy, future as a family.” Light smirks.

“I don’t suppose what happened with us was intentional,” L posits certainly, “and despite your planning I wouldn’t be surprised if you genuinely let yourself care for them one day.”

“I…” Light wavers, gut clenching. “Maybe.”

Ryuk laughs at him this time.

“You might be _ruthless_ ,” L appreciates, “but that’s not the same as _heartless._ ”

“I guess not,” Light admits. “But, honestly, when my emotions start controlling me instead of me controlling them… It’s quite frightening for me.”

“There’s some merit to feeling things sincerely,” L promises. “What’s the point of living unless you have your own interests?”

“Yeah! Exactly!” Ryuk chimes.

Light scoffs.

These two shouldn’t be getting along so well.

Things are good, for now, but there are plenty of complications on the horizon.

Ryuk won’t go along with them forever if they’re antics prove too dull for him and Light’s not real keen to end up with his name in the Shinigami’s notebook yet. That has to be resolved at some stage. The boys at Wammy House have a lot of growing to do and anything could happen. Likewise, what about the unexpected? What if someone in the NPA finds out about the notebooks they do have? What if someone else puts Light in a situation here he has to use the notebook again?

He’s worried, that seems only natural, but some part of him is happy.

He can still change the world, but L doesn’t need to be dead for it to happen.

He’s surrendered Kira, for now, but that decision seems worth it in retrospect if only because the world would be a much poorer place with L dead.

Light doesn’t expect things to get quiet any time soon but, for now…

Maybe he can gloat a little?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaah this has been so much fun, thank you for all your kindness.
> 
> I'm working on a new Death Note fic. I'm hoping it will be in a good place next Tuesday (currently written 9/16ish chapters) that I feel comfortable to start posting. If not I will be with you guys again soon. I like to have stuff sealed and finished before I start editing and posting and this fic is turning into a monster... 
> 
> Hope you'll come join me for that! Thank you again <3


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